The Softer Side
by stepd81
Summary: When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little. Chapter 16 up! COMPLETE!
1. Elizabeth

Title: The Softer Side

Rating: PG for this chapter, may change later

Pairing: House/Original Character

Warnings: Spoilers through "Three Stories"

Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."

Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.

Chapter 1 - _Elizabeth_

He heard her playing the piano as he approached his door. He was early today; she only played when nobody was around. He stopped and listened, letting the haunting notes carry him away. He could imagine her sitting there, though he'd never seen her play. The picture in his mind was crystal clear. She'd be sitting there with the perfect posture, back straight, shoulders squared, but relaxed, fingers floating over the keys, caressing them, a lovers touch. Her long dark hair would be pulled back in loose ponytail to keep it out of her face, eyes closed face peaceful, ivory skin glowing in the dimly lit room. She kept most of the lights off until he got home. He understood about that; it's easier to hide in the dark.

The music stopped suddenly, and he could hear the beeping of the oven timer. _'Dinners ready_.' He shook his head to bring himself into the present. As he opened the door, he was greeted with the aroma of chicken enchiladas wafting in from the kitchen. He closed the door with a smile; he loved her cooking.

"Greg?" She called, walking into the room. "You're home early." She gave him a small smile as she turned on the lamp, bathing the room in its soft glow.

"Just a few minutes, I couldn't take anymore of that clinic." He answered and walked the rest of the way into the house, and followed her to the table.

She nodded sympathetically. "Well, you're just in time actually, dinner just finished."

"Yeah. It smells delicious." He told her as he sat at the table.

She set their plates on the table and took her seat. "So, how was your day?"

"Not bad. Got a new case, looks like an interesting one." He answered, then took a bite. "Mmm. These may be your best yet."

She chuckled. "This is only the second time I've made them."

"Yeah...thus the best yet comment." He replied sarcastically.

"Hmm. Sarcasm, that's a new response." She joked, her sarcasm as obvious as his.

He laughed. He laughed? He knew if is team could see him at home, with Elizabeth, they probably wouldn't even recognize him. When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little. With her, he was open and honest, soft and compassionate. It was only when he left her, when he had to the face the cold, cruel world on his own, that his defenses closed in around him like thick, unscalable walls. Although, he had noticed himself softening even at work over the last month since first meeting her. His team hadn't commented, but he had no doubt that they had noticed. He chuckled quietly.

Swallowing a bite, she broke the comfortable silence they so easily settled into. "Penny for your thoughts?"

He just shook his head and gave a half-shrug. "Nothing really, just thinking how soft I've become recently."

She nodded with a sly smile. "Yeah. Well, if it would make you feel any better, I could help you regain your hardness." She leveled her gaze on him, one eyebrow raised, dark blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

He groaned at the double entendre. "Tease." He muttered.

She chuckled, the comfortable silence settled back over them as they finished their dinner.

After they ate, he moved to the living room to watch T.V. while she cleaned up, then joined him. After a couple of hours of T.V., he moved to the piano. She poured him a glass of scotch, then turned off the lamp before retaking her seat on the couch. It was their routine, and they went through the motions like it was an old, familiar dance. He played for while, finally turning his head to watch her.

She was sitting on the couch, one leg folded under her, the other knee bent so she could rest her head on it. Her eyes were closed, and her face was bathed in moonlight. She looked innocent, angelic. She opened her eyes, and those drowning, dark blue pools met his bright blue piercing gaze. She smiled shyly and rose from the couch.

"I'm sorry, listening to you play always relaxes me." She kissed his forehead softly. "Goodnight, Greg."

He smiled. "Goodnight, Elizabeth." He watched her walk down the hall to her room, then began playing again, a little softer so he didn't disturb her sleep. He shook his head at himself. "You've got it bad, man." He whispered to the empty room


	2. Wilson Knows

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 2)

Rating: PG, for minor foul language, rating may change later

Pairing: House/OC

Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Three Stories"

Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."

Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.

Notes: I know this story is off to a slow start, I guess I'm just having more trouble with it than I had planned. Anyway, this is another short chapter, but I promise to pick it up in number 3. Again, all reviews and constructive criticisms welcome.

Chapter 2 - _Wilson Knows_

The next morning, House entered the conference room by his office to see his team was already gathered and ready to get started. "Good morning, my loyal and faithful subjects." They all exchanged glances but responded in kind to his greeting. As he moved to get a cup of coffee, he noticed Wilson loitering in the corner. "Wilson? Why are you here?"

"Foreman said cancer was a suspect in this case; I'm here for a consult." He answered, noticeably surprised by his friend's demeanor.

House took a sip of his coffee and nodded. "Right. Mr...Hargroves, any change since yesterday?"

Cameron smiled at him, surprised that he had remembered and even used the patient's name. "No, he hasn't gotten any better or worse."

The five doctors spent about an hour discussing symptoms and possible diagnoses. They ruled out cancer and other things, and House finally sent Cameron, Foreman and Chase to run tests. He picked up his coffee mug and moved to his office, followed, not surprisingly, by Wilson.

Wilson watched House as he walked to his desk and sat down; Wilson's brow was wrinkled in confusion. Finally, he sat in the chair across from House. "Ok, what's wrong with you?"

House looked up, face thoughtful. "Depends on who you ask. Cameron thinks I need a hug and possibly a puppy. I think Foreman and Chase are both of the opinion that I just need a swift kick in the ass. Cuddy thinks I'm a pompous ass. You usually tell me I need to get laid. And my mother thinks I'm an angel, incapable of any kind of wrongdoing." He finished, giving Wilson an irritatingly innocent look.

Wilson rolled his eyes. "That's not what I mean, and you know it." He paused. "You've been nice today, even, dare I say? chipper? And it isn't just today. I've been noticing small changes for about a month; your team is noticing too."

"That the real reason you were here today?"

Wilson sighed. "They just wanted me to talk to, make sure nothing's wrong. So, what is it?"

It was House's turn to sigh. "Alright, fine, I was going to tell you anyway. Remember a couple of months ago, I put an add in the paper, looking for a housekeeper?" Wilson nodded. "Well, a little over a month ago, I hired one." He stopped, as though that explained everything.

"So, you're saying that you've been in a better mood because you have a clean house?" He asked incredulously. House just stared back. Realization dawned on Wilson's face. "Unless she's more than just a housekeeper. Are you sleeping with her?" He asked, boyish teasing in his voice.

House rolled his eyes. "Not everything is about sex." He paused for effect. "Sometimes it's about good company and good food; she's a great cook." He answered honestly.

"So, she cooks for you? And you're not sleeping with her?" He nodded. "Ok. So, do I get to meet her?"

House shook his head. "I don't know if that's a good idea. She's pretty shy." The truth, if he admitted it to himself, was that he feared she would fall for Wilson, if they met. He was afraid that his best friend would unwittingly move in on the best thing he'd had going for him in six years.

"So am I." Wilson stated, at the look on House's face, he shrugged. "Ok, maybe not so much, but I'm a laid-back type of guy, how will that make her nervous? Besides you can't just hide her from me forever."

House sighed again. He knew Wilson was right; Elizabeth had asked him a couple of times if she was ever going to meet his friends. He had quickly changed the subject. "I'll talk to her."

Wilson chuckled. "Man, she must be something to get to you like this." He headed for the door.

"Yeah, she's something." House muttered, half to himself. His mind began to drift back to the day he met her.


	3. How They Met

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 3)

Rating: PG for mild language in this chapter, will definitely change for the next chapter

Pairing: House/OC

Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Three Stories"

Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."

Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.

Notes: Okay, here's chapter 3, as promised, it's a little longer and delves deeper into Elizabeth's character. Hope you like. Again, all reviews and constructive criticisms welcome.

Chapter 3 - _How They Met_

One month earlier:

It was Saturday afternoon; that was the only time he had available. The knock on the door was light enough, he almost hadn't heard it over the T.V. He rose from the couch with a grunt and slowly limped to the door. Opening the door revealed a beautiful young woman with the darkest blue eyes he'd ever seen.

"Dr. House?" She questioned, and he realized he'd been staring.

"That's the rumor." came the sarcastic reply.

To his surprise, she actually rolled her eyes at him. "I'm Elizabeth Jensen; I'm here to interview for the housekeeper job." There was a thread of irritation evident in her voice.

He smirked, _'She's definitely the one for the job._' Aloud he said, "Well, in or out? Either way close the door." He limped back to the couch.

She sighed, but walked into the house and closed the door. She ran an appraising eye over the room as she made her way to the chair by the couch. "So, are you always a sarcastic bastard, or do you save that for meeting people?"

"If I show you that I'm a nice, soft-hearted guy, you might take advantage of me." His eyes twinkled with humor. "You wouldn't believe how many people are just waiting to screw over the cripple." This was said with an edge of bitterness and self-loathing.

She looked at him for a heartbeat, but was careful to hide any trace of pity in her expression. "Well, I take comfort in the belief that there's a special place in Hell for people who do that."

He looked at her for a minute, cerulean eyes reading her. After he found whatever he had been looking for, he nodded. "Ok. So, tell me about yourself. Why you want this job, what makes you qualified, you know."

"Well, I moved here from New York City last month, and, quite frankly, I need the money. As far as qualifications, I've lived on my own for about nine years now, so I know all about cleaning a house." She paused. "Also, I can cook, if that's something you would want."

"So, your reason for wanting the job is desperation? That's not exactly something one looks for in an employee. And you list your qualifications as the fact that you have lived on your own for several years. Again, not a convincing argument." He paused. "The cooking is a point in your favor, but I need proof of your cleaning ability."

She looked at him as though he'd sprouted a second head. "Proof? Like what?"

He rolled his eyes. "Like...taking me to your apartment so I can see how clean you keep it."

She lowered her head then. "I don't have an apartment; I'm living in a hotel by the interstate."

He was quiet for a moment. "Oh. Well, how about you give me some proof that you can cook, and if I like it, you get the job?" The sarcasm was melting from his voice. He didn't understand it, but something about this girl tore at his heart a little.

She nodded. "Ok, deal. When?"

"No better time than the present; or so the old saying goes." He pushed himself up off the couch and led her to the kitchen.

She followed with a small smile, taking in her surroundings.

He sat at the table in the little breakfast nook. "I hand my kitchen over to you. Figure out what I've got, and make whatever you can come up with."

She was surprised at him giving her control of the situation, but hid it easily and got started on her search for edible food.

As he watched her moving around his kitchen, he asked more questions. "So, what did you do in New York?"

She was grabbing things out of the refrigerator. "I was a cop."

His eyebrows shot up. "A cop?" Voice ringing with his disbelief.

She glanced at him and chuckled. "Yeah, a cop. I may look like a fragile, innocent little girl, Dr. House, but I assure you, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"I...I'm sorry." He said a little apologetically, then adopted his usual sarcastic, teasing tone. "Besides, I always thought beautiful female cops only existed in the movies." She laughed. "So, why did you quit?"

"I have my reasons." She answered more quietly.

He pressed on. "But, why quit a good job, with benefits, and move to another town only to have to take a job as a housekeeper for a grumpy old doctor?"

She took a deep breath. "Because sometimes things happen that change everything, and you can't go back to the way it was before and the new is too hard to bear." By the end of the reply, she was near tears.

He realized he had pressed too far, and remained quiet for a long while. Finally, the meal was ready and they sat and ate and shared light conversation. He liked the food, of course, and she accepted the job.

When the dishes were clean and put away, he walked her to the door. "So, you'll start Monday?"

She nodded. "I'll come by around 9 a.m.?"

"That sounds good. I'll be gone, but I'll leave a key under the mat. I'll probably be home between 6 and 7 in the evening, but you don't have to wait around for me."

She smiled. "I'll see you Monday, Dr. House." She offered her hand.

He shook it. "Greg. If you're going to work for me, call me Greg."

Another smile. "Greg." She turned to go.

"See you Monday, Elizabeth."

And that was that. That was the way they met.

A week later, she moved into his spare bedroom.

"Thanks so much for letting me stay here." She said for the hundredth time that day.

He looked up from the newspaper he was pretending to read. "Like I told you, it's silly for you to stay at a hotel across town when I have a spare room. This way you can save all your money, and be able to move on your own again."

She nodded. "Oh yeah. Be out of your hair in no time."

And now a month had passed. They had a perfect routine, and had found it surprisingly easy to fall into. She knew how he took his coffee, and that he despised conversation before nine. He knew that she liked long, hot baths on Saturday evening, and that she cried herself to sleep most nights.

He still didn't know why she had left New York, but he guessed she would tell him when she was ready. It wasn't as though he had divulged all his secrets either.

His beeper went off suddenly, startling him to full wakefulness. He checked the number then pushed up off his chair. With one last sigh, he pushed aside his daydreams of Elizabeth and stumbled through his day.

That night as they were eating dinner, he decided to tell her about his conversation with Wilson. "So, I told Wilson about you today."

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Really!"

He rolled his eyes at her reaction. "You don't have to look so surprised. I told you I'd tell him eventually."

She shrugged and looked at her plate. "I'm sorry. I...I guess I just figured he'd have to drag it out of you." Then she looked up, her expression unreadable. "Of course, it's not like it's a big deal anyway. I mean, I'm not your girlfriend; I'm your housekeeper and cook."

Her statement, true though it was, stung him more than he cared to think about. "Anyway, he wants to meet you, so I figured, I could invite him for dinner on Friday night. If that's fine with you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that'll be good. That gives me a day to figure out what to cook."

The discussion ended there and the rest of the night went like any other.


	4. Thursday Night

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 4)  
Rating: R for sex, language and some violence  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Three Stories"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Yea, chapter 4 is up. Hope you like. ItThanks for all your nice reviews, sure makes a girl want to keep writing. will probably be a couple of days before I can get 5 up here, still putting finishing touches on it, but I'll get it in as soon as I can. Again, all reviews and constructive criticisms welcome.  
Chapter 4 – Thursday Night  
Thursday night started out like any other. They ate dinner; he told her about the case they had finally solved. She did the dishes; he watched T.V. He moved to the piano; she poured his scotch. And that's when it stopped being a typical night.  
She started to set the glass on the coaster on top of the piano, but for some reason unknown to both, he reached out to take it from her hand. His hand brushed hers in the lightest of touches, but it was enough to ignite a spark in them. He set the scotch on the piano, and she leaned in closing the distance between them and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. Then her tongue darted out to taste his lips with a long, slow lick. That was his undoing.  
He reached up and let her hair down and buried his hands in it as her hands rubbed up and down his back. After a moment, he untangled a hand from her hair and slowly made his way to the hem of her shirt. She tensed then, putting her hand over his to stop him. He looked up at her questioningly, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Let me do it." She whispered.  
She took a small step back from him, then pulled the shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor. She still wouldn't meet his eyes, obviously afraid of what she would see there. He looked at her body, newly revealed to him, and saw what she was afraid to show him. There was a series of scars on her abdomen, indicating severe wounds and surgery to fix the damage. After a moment of staring he reached forward and took her hands in his, pulling her gently to him.  
She looked up at him then, there were tears in her eyes. She watched him in amazement as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on the lace covered mound of her breast, then the other, then he trailed a string of soft kisses over her abdomen and back up. His eyes met hers, and what she saw there was enough; the spark became a flame of desire between them.  
Somehow between frantic, passionate kisses and touches they made it to his bed, losing the rest of their clothes all along the way. She was pressed between the mattress and the weight of his body; she could feel the hard press of his erection against her thigh and let out a little moan. He looked down at her, nearly breathless with desire as he fumbled for something in the nightstand.  
When her mind finally wrapped around what he was looking for, and she could form words, she placed her hand lightly on his bicep. "I can't get pregnant, Greg. So, if you trust me when I say I'm clean, that won't be necessary."  
He looked at her. "Of course I trust you. Do you trust me?"  
She didn't say anything, just pulled him in for a deep kiss. A moment later, he positioned himself at her hot, wet entrance and slowly thrust inside. They both moaned at the intensity of full and total skin to skin contact. Their pace quickly changed from slow and tender to frenzied and needy. After mind-blowing orgasms, they still and quiet basking in the afterglow.  
He was lying on his back, slightly propped up by a pillow; she was curled up to his left side, leg wrapped around his good on, head on his shoulder, hand tracing designs on his chest.  
Then her quiet voice broke the silence. "I retired from the force after my partner was killed." She shifted so that she could look up at him, to see that he was listening. "It was a routine traffic stop one night. The guy was doing 45 in a residential area; we probably would have let him go with a warning. Jason went to talk to the guy whiled I waited in the car. It was the way we always did it." She paused to take a deep breath. "There was a passenger lying down in the back seat. We didn't see him, couldn't have seen him, until it was too late. The guy shot him in the head at point-blank range. He was dead on the spot." She paused again. "After that everything gets a little blurry. Somehow I managed to call for backup and a told them to send the morgue to pick up Jason. I climbed to the driver's seat and chased the asshole. We got them that night; neither of them will know freedom again in this life. Anyway, I stayed for the funeral; I gave the folded flag to his mother, and I caught the first bus I could out of that fucking city." Her eyes were shining with months of pent-up anger and loss.  
House wasn't really sure what to say or do. He had never been good in these situations. After a moment's hesitation, he did the only thing he could thing to do. He reached down and pulled her into his arms and just held her. She relaxed into his embrace and let some of the emotional baggage she'd been carrying be lifted away.  
They were silent for a moment, then he decided that if she could share her secret with him, the least he could do was to reciprocate.  
"I was in love with someone once." He said quietly. She pulled back from him and lay down on her back, looking up at him, giving him her full attention as he bared his soul. "She was with me when the infarction happened; she sat by my bed through all he misdiagnoses, and she was there when we figured out what had happened. The pain was so…unbearable. She never left my side." He paused. "They wanted to amputate, but I refused. I couldn't stand the thought of losing my leg; I would have preferred to death to that. She begged me; she sat there with tears in her eyes begging me to let them end the pain, and I still refused. I told her to have them put me in a coma to get through the worst of the pain, which she did. But she also gave them permission to go in and remove the dead muscle. That's why I lost partial use of that leg, and I have chronic pain because it was all diagnosed so late." Another pause. "She probably saved my life, but I couldn't forgive her for what I saw as a major betrayal. She left, but I pushed her away."

Elizabeth took his hand in hers and placed a kiss on his palm. She kissed a trail up his arm, to his neck and then their lips met in a tender, comfort seeking kiss. Gently, without any words, she straddled his hips and deepened their kiss. This time their pace was slow; it was about comfort and the healing of old wounds. After their mutual climaxes, they fell into a peaceful sleep in each others arms.


	5. The Morning After

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 5)  
Rating: R for some strong language  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Three Stories"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Here's chapter 5. I know it's kind of short, but I'll try to pick it up in 6. Hope you like. Again, all reviews and constructive criticisms welcome.

To good samaritan – Thank you so much for your comments. Don't worry; I have no intention of being pressured to write this story in a certain direction, except by the characters…lol. The "adult scene" in the last chapter was something I had already planned on and kind of serves a purpose to the story. I see it as a natural progression of their relationship. Again, thank you for your encouraging words.

Chapter 5 – The Morning After

House woke up the next morning and the first thing he noticed was the pain in his right thigh. '_Got quite a workout last night_.' That thought made him smile. It was then that he realized something else. He reached his arm out, but there was only empty space. He opened his eyes to confirm his fear. Elizabeth wasn't there.

He grabbed the bottle of Vicodin from the nightstand and popped two before getting out of bed to start his day.

After he showered and dressed, he went to the kitchen. Elizabeth was there waiting for him with coffee and a bagel, the way he liked it. She smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek as she handed him his coffee. He stared at her in a mixture of anger and confusion.

She made her way to the table with her own coffee and bagel then looked up at him questioningly when he didn't follow. "What's wrong?"

'_How can she act like nothing happened?_' He put his back to the counter so he could look at her fully. "You left last night; I woke up alone." He kept his voice empty of emotion and face carefully blank.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and thought it would be better if I wasn't there when you woke up. I know how that stuff bothers you." She explained softly.

"Yeah, well that's true. He paused. He let his anger seep into his voice and finished with pure, bitter sarcasm. "On the other hand, you could have taken care of the Texas sized hard-on I woke up with."

She looked down into her coffee cup, hiding the hurt in her eyes. When she looked back up they were blank, and her tone was as sarcastic as his had been. "Hmm, I thought of it as closer to Rhode Island." She smiled sweetly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

His smirk was a sincere as her smile. "You weren't complaining last night."

That was all she could take. She jumped out of her seat. "Fuck you, Dr. House." She placed emphasis on using his title and last name. She was heading out of the room.

"Been there, done that." He called after her. He heard her door slam shut, and his head fell forward. 'Great. This should be a great day.' He was suddenly so tired. He grabbed his bag and left.

By 11 o'clock, he had yelled at two nurses, insulted three patients, and alienated his team. As the three of them had gone off to find somewhere, anywhere, else to be, he's heard Foreman mutter. "Damn, guess he stopped getting laid."

He was sitting in his office staring at the ceiling when Wilson came in. "Still on for tonight?"

House looked at him. "What? Oh, yeah." He looked tired, worn around the edges.

Wilson's look turned to concern, and he moved to the chair across from House's desk. "What's wrong?"

House shook his head. "Nothing."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Nope, sorry, doesn't work on me. I know you too well. You've been inexplicably happy for the last month, and now you're sitting in your office staring at the ceiling and looking like shit. So, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." House's tone was defensive. "I went to bed with a beautiful woman and woke up to a cold bed."

Wilson's expression became one of realization and understanding. "Ah. So you finally slept with the girl, and now, you're afraid you're going to lose her."

"Um, hello. She left my bed. What am I supposed to think?"

"Ok, fair enough. Did she tell you why?"

House looked away, his voice grew quieter. "She said she thought it would be better if she wasn't there when I woke up because she knows that stuff bothers me."

Wilson nodded. "Fair assumption on her part. You do tend to shut down if there's too much sentimental, emotional stuff."

House was staring out the window. "But we talked last night. She told me her reason for leaving New York. I told her about Stacy." He turned back to Wilson. "Shouldn't all that count for something?"

Wilson knew that had been a huge step for House, to talk about Stacy, to open up to someone else. "I'm sure it does. Did you talk to her about this?"

House sighed. "We started to, but I got angry and insulted her. So, she got angry and insulted me." He shook his head then laid his forehead on his hand, clinging his cane tightly.

Wilson watched his friend for a minute. He could see how much he really cared for Elizabeth by his reaction to the situation. He knew House was afraid of losing her, of pushing her away like Stacy. He took a deep breath, trying to think of something supportive to tell House. But he knew it would all fall on deaf ears. House would have to work it out on his own; he wouldn't let anyone help him if they tried anyway. He stood to leave. "So, should I take a rain check on dinner tonight?"

House looked up at him. "No, Elizabeth's been planning what she's going to cook for two nights. You've got to be there." '_If she's not gone_.' He added in his head.

Wilson nodded. "Ok. I'll be there around seven." He left House alone with his thoughts.

House sighed and let his head fall back. Half of his brain was sure that she would be there, dinner on the table, ready to forgive him and be the perfect hostess for their guest. The other half believed that the house would be a little emptier, that she would be gone, with nothing but the faint scent of her vanilla body wash remaining.

"God, please." He prayed quietly to the empty room. Though which scenario he was praying for was anyone's guess.

Author's Note: So, a bit of a cliffhanger here. Will she be there? Will they stay together? Hmm, guess we'll find out in the next chapter. 


	6. Dinner & The Talk

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 6)  
Rating: R for some strong language  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Three Stories"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Ok, this is a longer chapter; I had thought of making it into two chapters, but couldn't find a place to split it. Hope you like. Again, all reviews and constructive criticisms welcome.

Chapter 6 – _Dinner & "The Talk"_

House stepped up to his door at 6:30 that night. '_Come on, Greg. Pull yourself together_.' He chastised his fearful actions. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

Elizabeth was sitting on the couch when he came through the door. "Hey. Is Wilson with you?" She asked quietly.

"No, he'll be here around 7." He answered simply.

She nodded and stood. "I'm sorry about this morning."

"Me too."

They smiled at each other and met in the middle of the room for a deep kiss. They pulled apart, still close enough that his forehead could rest on hers.

His eyes were closed; he just breathed in her scent. "I was so afraid I lost you today." He confessed in a near-whisper.

She closed her eyes against the tears welling up there. "I packed my bags and was out the door five minutes after you. I drove around for an hour and ended up right back where I started." She opened her eyes and her dark stare locked with his light gaze. "I don't want to run away from this. I don't want to fight or be mad at you." A single tear slipped down her cheek.

He reached up and brushed that tear away. "I don't want to run away from this either, or fight, or be mad." He kissed her softly, then just wrapped his arms around her and held onto her like she was a lifeline.

They stood there for several minutes, before there was a knock on the door. "Get that; I'll put dinner on the table." Her voice was a whisper against his shoulder. Then she kissed his neck and pulled away.

He opened the door. Wilson was looking at him with a guarded expression, unsure of what might have happened.

House stepped aside to let Wilson in. "Come on. Dinner's ready; she's putting it on the table now."

Wilson walked into the room then turned to House, who was closing the door. "Is everything okay?"

House nodded. "It'll be better once we have the chance to talk, but it's better than I hoped for already." He gave his friend a small smile.

Wilson smiled back at him. "That's great, House. Welcome back to adult relationships."

"Ha ha. Laugh it up." House replied. His sarcastic retort was cut short by Elizabeth coming into the room.

"Ok, guys, dinner is on the table." She smiled as she stepped up by House.

"Elizabeth, this is Dr. James Wilson. Wilson, this is Elizabeth Jensen." He introduced.

They shook hands. "It's so nice to meet you, Dr. Wilson. I've heard so much about you."

He smiled charmingly. "The pleasure is most certainly mine. And, please, call me James."

House rolled his eyes. "Come on. You two are going to ruin my appetite." He grumbled.

"Greg." She admonished. She was in hostess mode now. She hooked her arm through Wilson's as she led him to the table. "I hope you like chicken parmesan, James."

He nodded. "It smells delicious."

They took their seats at the table. Elizabeth was between the two men, Wilson on her right and House on her left. As she sat, she inched her chair over so that she was a little closer to him. It was a fairly small gesture but in light of what had happened that morning, it was exactly the kind of reassurance he needed. She gave him a small smile and patted his knee; he returned the smile with a sly wink.

Wilson watched the scene in front of him and smiled, too. This woman made House happy, and Wilson was happy for him. He deserved some happiness after all the shit life had thrown at him.

The three of them began their dinner. "Yum." Wilson said after swallowing a bite. "This is really good."

Elizabeth blushed slightly at the compliment. "Thank you."

House proudly stated. "There isn't anything she can't make. She is a great cook." He put his hand lightly on her knee, and they shared another smile. They knew that they were acting like teenagers dealing with their first crush, but neither one cared. House couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy, and he was determined to enjoy it, reputation be damned.

"So, Elizabeth, what did you do in New York?" Wilson broke the silence of the moment that felt more intimate than it really had been. "I mean, House told me that's where you moved here from, but not what you did for a living."

"I was a cop." She stated simply and honestly. Then she grinned at his shocked expression. "Why does everyone always find that so hard to believe?" She chuckled.

House said. "It's like I told you, nobody thinks that real female cops are supposed to be as beautiful as in the movies."

Wilson recovered from his shock and regained control of his facial expressions. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it; it just wasn't what I expected." He apologized. "So, how did you decide to become a cop? If you don't mind my asking."

She shook her head. "I don't know. I wanted to be a cop for as long as I can remember. I mean, when I was a kid, while the other girls were playing with Barbie dolls and make-up, I was using plastic handcuffs and a water pistol to arrest people." She smiled.

They spent the evening telling stories and laughing, really enjoying each other's company. Elizabeth told them about stupid criminals she had arrested, and pranks she had pulled in high school. House and Wilson told stories about various interesting cases they'd had and stunts they'd pulled over the course of their friendship.

Finally around ten, Wilson said. "Well, I should get out of here. I'm sure Julie will be waiting up." He joked, except the seriousness of the problems at home made it completely unfunny.

They all stood; Elizabeth gave Wilson a quick hug. "It was so nice to meet you, James. We'll have to do this again sometime." She smiled, and her offer was sincere.

He nodded and smiled. "Definitely, this was great. And it was nice to meet you, too."

She began to clean off the table, while House walked Wilson to the door.

Wilson turned on the doorstep. "She's a great girl, House, and she obviously cares for you very much."

House nodded. "She's the best thing that's wandered into my life in a long time. I just keep waiting to wake up and find that it's only a dream." He smiled sadly. Wilson was the only person in his life who had just always been there, and sometimes he wondered just how much he would take before he too was gone. Those thoughts were usually pushed aside very quickly because the idea of losing Wilson and truly ending up alone scared the shit out of House.

Wilson shook his head at House's cynicism. "Is it really so hard for you to accept something good happening to you? I mean, I…I don't get it, House. I don't understand why you are so hell-bent on keeping yourself from being happy." Wilson sighed; he felt helpless in proving to his friend that he deserved happiness.

House sighed too, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm trying, James. You've seen that. But it takes time." He looked his friend in the eye.

Wilson nodded. "I know. I just want you to be happy, Greg. You deserve it."

They stared at each other for a moment. "I've got to go. See you Monday." He turned to leave.

"Yeah, see you Monday." House watched him leave, then went back inside.

Elizabeth was finishing loading the dishwasher when he entered the kitchen. She glanced up. "He gone?"

House nodded. They were silent; she started the dishwasher. "We need to talk about last night and this morning." Both were a little surprised that he was the one who said it.

She looked up at him. "I know; I just need to change into something more comfortable." She knew she was avoiding their talk, but she was more than a little afraid of what could happen.

He followed her to her room, unwilling to let her walk away from the issue at hand. "Putting it off won't make it any easier." He froze in the doorway, staring into the empty-looking room. Her bags were still packed, sitting in the middle of her bed. As he looked at the bedroom that held no remaining trace of her, his chest tightened with the realization of how close he'd come to losing her.

She was unaware of any of this as she began unpacking her bags. "When I woke up this morning in your bed, I freaked." She began quietly. "I don't do that sort of thing; I don't jump into bed with guys. I don't do casual sex. I was afraid that you'd think of it that way, make some sarcastic remark. So, I left; I slept in my own bed, giving us distance before facing the morning after." She looked at him then. Her eyes were full of everything she was feeling, fear, guilt, mixed with hope and trust; her breath caught when she saw the same feelings so openly expressed in his eyes too.

He stepped into the room and sat in the chair by the door and continued watching her. "I didn't think of last night as casual sex; I don't want a one-night stand." He answered honestly. "I thought opening myself up to you like I did would demonstrate that. I told you how my last relationship ended because you had told me your story on that subject."

Her eyes widened. "How did you know that Jason and I were involved?"

"The look in your eyes when you said his name last night said he was more than just a partner and friend."

She nodded, finally sitting on the bed and facing him. "He's the only man I'd ever been with before…you." She looked down at her hands. "I'm so scared of falling for you, and losing you anyway, that I'm not sure I want to try. At the same time, I already care for you so much that the idea of not trying is a physical ache in my heart." She looked up, letting him see the truth of her words in her openly expressive eyes.

He was quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words to express what he felt. This was why he steered clear of relationships and feelings; they were so complicated. Or at least, that's what he'd been telling himself since Stacy left. He was about to tell them both the truth. "I feel the same way. I haven't let anyone in since…her. I didn't even plan to let you in, but damned, if you didn't sneak in there anyway." He gave her another small smile. He stood and moved to sit by her on the bed, taking her hand. "I am feeling happy for the first time in a long time, and I know it's because of you. I don't want to run from this because it might not work out. Instead, I want to try because it just might work."

She was looking at him, tears rolling silently down her cheeks. "I want to try, too." She smiled at him.

He smiled back, a full smile that lit up his face. He leaned in for a tender kiss; he could taste the salt from her tears on her lips, under that the sweet taste that was just Elizabeth.

She pulled away first, but didn't let go of his hand. "I do think we should slow down a little, though, as far as the physical side." She wouldn't meet his eyes.

He took hold of her chin gently and urged it up until her eyes met his. "If that is what you want, that's what we'll do. I can wait as long as you need."

She smiled again and pulled him in for a deep, passionate kiss. In that kiss, everything was forgiven and forgotten, and they knew that it would be okay.

They said goodnight and he left her to finish unpacking.

At one o'clock he heard his bedroom door opening; Elizabeth was standing there. "What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

She shrugged. "Can't sleep. I thought…maybe I…"

"Come here." He lifted the sheet on his left side, and she crawled in beside him.

They settled in, all snuggled up together. "Ok?" He questioned.

"Yes, you?"

He gave her a squeeze. "Never been better."

She smiled into his shoulder, and they both fell asleep almost instantly.


	7. Breakfast

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 7)  
Rating: R for some strong language  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Three Stories"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Sorry for the delay with this chapter; I had a hard time writing it. Anyway, it's a little shorter, kind of a transitional chapter to get where I'm headed here. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks so much for your reviews, they keep me going. 

Chapter 7 – _Breakfast_

Saturday morning when he woke up the first thing House noticed was the warm body curled up to his left side; even the pain in his leg took a backseat to the realization that she was still there. The pain only hesitated a moment, however, before really making its presence known, and he was groping for the bottle on the nightstand. In his haste, he knocked it over and heard the muffled thud as it hit the rug. "Shit." He cursed softly. He started to gingerly extract himself from Elizabeth's hold when her voice cut through the silence.

"I'll get it, stay still." She was up and around the bed, picking up the pills before he could form any response. As he took them from her, she leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I'm going to start the coffee. Stay here."

He watched her leave in mild amazement of how lucky he was. She was different from everyone in his life, so much more accepting of him, flaws and all. She had never asked him about the Vicodin, not once. Never commented on how much he took, though id was less since meeting her, or what it was doing to his body. He was sure that she understood how hard it was on his body, but she kept quiet, barely acknowledging it at all. On more than one occasion she had been the one reaching for the pills when he needed it most. He knew that was how she had gotten so far into his heart.

There were other factors, of course. She was smart, compassionate, her witty sarcasm was a perfect match to his; she was beautiful, young, full of life. But that wasn't the thing, if those things were all he needed, Cameron would have been a shoo-in months before Elizabeth showed up on his doorstep. The thing, above all, that drew him to Elizabeth was acceptance. She accepted him and all that came with it, no questions asked. He had scars, but so did she. It had never been an issue. She had never asked him what happened to his leg; she had simply let him tell her in his own time. She never pushed him to open up, just let him know through actions and slight verbal hints that she was there if he ever wanted someone to listen. She understood him in ways that even Wilson, after years of friendship, couldn't. She knew when he wanted conversation and when he needed silence. She knew when he needed an extra Vicodin because the pain was so horrible and when a little more elevation would do the trick. She just knew.

And now, he needed her. He had let her in, let down his defenses and invited her to know the man behind the cynicism and bitterness. Even more surprising to him, she had gone in without fear, and then let him inside her own barriers, to know the woman behind the pain and anger.

"They're not going to jump out of that bottle on their own you know."

He visibly jumped as she spoke, startling him from his thoughts. He realized he'd been sitting there since she'd left the room, staring at the door, thinking about her, and hadn't even taken the lid off the Vicodin. He opened it then and shook one into his hand. '_Today is a one pill morning_.' Truth be told, with the exception of the previous day, he had only needed one every morning since meeting her. When she was around, he found he just didn't need it as much.

"Boy, you really are in another world this morning. Everything ok?" She sat on the bed looking at him.

He realized he had let his mind wander for too long again, and shook his head. "Everything is fine, great even. I was thinking about you, actually." He replied honestly, something else he felt inclined to do with her.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Me? Hope it's good thoughts." She smiled.

He smiled back. "Just wondering how a bitter, old cripple like me got a beautiful, young woman like you."

She searched his eyes, looking to see how serious he was, then moved in closer so that she could capture his lips in a searing kiss. "First of all, you know I don't like it when you call yourself that." She paused. "As to the question of how you got me, that's easy. It's everything about you. You're smart, sarcastic, and despite what you think, you're very handsome. But it's more than that. It's about how you act while working on a big case at work. It's a puzzle to you, and when you tell me about how you solved it, your eyes shine with a childlike glee. It's the intensity and concentration with which you play that piano. It's your love of jazz and rock 'n roll, and your secret obsession with soap operas. It's you, Greg." She raised her hand to caress his cheek. "That's how you got me. You let me in; let me now you. And now, I couldn't resist even if I wanted to." She smiled.

He stared back at her for a moment, feeling the truth of her words, then he pulled her to him for a passionate kiss. When they pulled away, breathless, he held onto her, hugging her tightly. '_This is how it feels to be happy_.' He thought to himself, reveling in the sensation he had believed he would never feel again.

Finally, she pulled back a little to look up at him. "So, did you want a bagel this morning, or did you want me to make something else? Eggs and bacon, maybe?"

He thought for a split second then started getting up out of bed. "I want you to lay back down here, and I'll cook breakfast for you." She opened her mouth to protest, but he placed a finger to her lips. "No objections; you cook all week, it won't kill me to do one meal. Now stay."

She scowled at him for a minute before kissing his index finger still pressed to her lips and laying back in the bed.

He flashed her a genuine smile and went to make breakfast. He took the hint from her suggestion and made scrambled eggs with cheese, because that's how she liked them, and bacon. He added toast and made her coffee the way she liked it. Then he served her breakfast in bed. They shared a smile and began eating.

"I'm going to take you on a date next week." House stated suddenly as they were about halfway through breakfast.

The sudden outburst didn't seem to rattle Elizabeth, however. She just smiled and nodded. "Ok. Where are we going? What should I wear?"

"It's a surprise, but someplace nice, so a dress would be appropriate." He answered.

Another nod. "What day? I'll need a chance to go shopping, so not too early in the week."

He smiled. "Women will use any excuse to go shopping." He teased.

She pretended to be offended. "It's not just an excuse. You're the one who wants to me to wear a dress. I got rid of all mine a while ago. Shopping is my only choice." She giggled.

"Yeah, yeah." He chuckled, then turned thoughtful. "Hmm. So, let's plan on Thursday, unless something big comes up at PPTH. I'll pick you up at 7pm."

She grinned. "Ooh, it'll be a real date. Sounds good."

'_A real date_.' The words echoed in his head, but for the first time in five years, they didn't scare him. He smiled at her, then leaned over to give her a tender, chaste kiss, and they finished breakfast.


	8. First Date

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 8)  
Rating: R for some strong language  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Well here it is, the first date! Not quite as dramatic as the House/Cameron date on the show, but drama enough. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks so much for your reviews, they keep me going. I'm glad you all are enjoying this story, but don't get the wrong idea about Elizabeth, she's not all sugar and spice and everything nice. ;) Just a little tease, aren't I?

Chapter 8 – First Date

6:30 pm on Thursday found House standing in front of a mirror in his office putting on a tie. His suit was black and neatly pressed; his shirt was light blue and matched his eyes.

"You're here late." Cameron stated in quiet surprise as she entered the office."

"So are you, in case you hadn't noticed." He finished his tie and turned to her.

She stopped in her tracks. "You look nice."

He stepped to his desk to grab his bag and car keys. "Yeah, got a date." He stated simply.

"Oh." Her voice was quiet. "Well, have a good time." She turned and hurried out of the room so he couldn't see the hurt in her eyes.

He looked up as Wilson walked in. "Why is Cameron crying?" Wilson asked, voice sounding sure that House was the reason.

"Cameron's crying?" He asked, confused. Then he shook his head. "Whatever. I don't have time for this soap opera; I'm going to be late."

Realization had dawned on Wilson's face. "Right. Tonight is the big first date." He nodded. "Well, that makes sense." He fell into step by House as he left his office, heading to the elevator.

House was watching the elevators like they would open faster if he was keeping an eye on them. "I tried to discourage her from pursuing me from the moment I realized she was considering it. I can't be held responsible if she gets hurt because she didn't listen."

"No one is blaming you, but pretending that her feelings don't exist won't make them disappear. You need to talk to her. Really talk to her."

House shook his head as the elevator doors opened and they got on. "I don't talk to people."

Wilson looked at him. "I'm pretty sure that's what we're doing now."

House rolled his eyes. "You're different."

Wilson was quiet for a moment. "And Elizabeth?"

House looked at him then. "She's different too." They reached the first floor and exited the elevator.

Wilson walked with him all the way to his car. "Cameron will be ok; she'll get over you."  
House turned to him. "I'm not the one worried about that." He got in his car and started the engine, then looked back up at Wilson. "Maybe you should ask her out; I'll bet she's easy on the rebound." He backed out of his parking space, leaving a stunned Wilson to stare after him.

House knocked on the front door at exactly 7 pm. Elizabeth opened it with a smile. "7 on the dot. Punctuality is such a turn-on."

House was smiling too. "You're beautiful."

The black dress she wore was long, reaching all the way to her ankles, except for the slit on the right side that went up to mid-thigh. It had spaghetti straps and a low neckline and hugged her curves in all the right places. But the thing that stood out most was the intricate design that covered the dress; it was the same color blue as her eyes and made them deep as the midnight sky. Her hair was piled on top of her head with a few curls left to fall around her face. She was absolutely glowing.

She blushed slightly at his compliment and the intensity of his appreciative gaze. "You look great also."

He offered her his left arm, and she hooked hers through at his elbow. He held open her door and made sure she was comfortable before closing the door and going to the driver's side.

"You really pulled out all the stops for tonight, didn't you?"

He glanced at her, then returned his attention to the road. "It's our first date; I want everything to be perfect for you."

She smiled softly. "At the risk of sounding like every cheesy romance movie ever, just being here with you makes it perfect." She put her hand on his arm. "You don't have to try so hard."

He took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips. His kiss was the lightest of caresses against her knuckles, and she shivered. The ghost of a smile touched his lips, and he released her hand to shift gears. "Damn standard transmission, not conducive to hand holding." He grumbled, but the small smile remained.

She chuckled, and they enjoyed the rest of the drive in silence.

Once the car was handed over to they the valet, they were seated at their table, the wine was poured, and dinner was ordered, he took her hand again, this time he didn't let go. He just held her hand lightly in his, his thumb drawing circles on the back of it. She was watching their hands with a dreamy smile.

"What was he like?" House asked suddenly.

Her eyes shot to his in confusion; his question had caught her off guard completely. "What? Who?"

"Your partner; Jason, right?"

She looked back at their hands. "Why do you want to know? I mean, this is our first date; I don't know any other guy who would want to hear about the ex."

"First of all, you don't have to tell me anything if it makes you uncomfortable." He paused. "Secondly, I'm not like any other guy." That made her smile and look up at him. "I thought maybe talking about him would be good for you, and it lets me see into you." He kissed her hand. "That's what I want, to know you."

They were quiet for a few minutes; just when he thought she wasn't going to tell him, she began. "We were friends first; there were five us who met up in college. It was four guys and me." Her eyes took on a far away look, like she was watching the story play out like a movie. "There was Jon, who was the self-proclaimed player. He was actually the first of any of them to make a pass at me, but nothing ever happened. Then there was Brendan; he was a big teddy bear. Nate was Jason's older brother, but he was cool. And then…there was Jason. He was sweet and funny and charming. He was the kind of guy, the girls wanted; equal parts strong and sensitive." She paused. "It was two years before we got together. I watched him go through three girlfriends, and some pretty disastrous first dates. Then one night, he came over to my apartment after one of those disasters. He told me all about it, and I listened, not commenting or judging, just listening. Then he looked at me, and it all fell into place. 'I've been searching everywhere for the thing that's been right in front of me all along.' He said. I laughed because it sounded like such a line, but he kissed me, and that was it. We dated through the last two years of college, through the police academy, and the four years we were partners on the force." She looked at House. "Don't get me wrong. He wasn't perfect, buy nobody is. We fought occasionally, but then we'd make up. There were good days and bad days. But it was as close to a fairy tale as any woman can really hope for. He'll always be in my heart. There is a piece of me that is his forever, but it doesn't mean I have nothing left to give."

The waiter took that moment to bring their food, and House released her hand. Once the waiter had gone, House began to work on his dinner. He was thinking about what Elizabeth had said, and trying to figure out how to respond. He knew that she had feelings for him; he wasn't doubting that. The fact that she had been in love with someone else before he came along didn't change her feelings for him anymore than the fact that he had been in love with someone else before her changed how he felt about her. That was what he wanted to tell her.

"There is a piece of me that will always belong to someone else also, but I want you to have the rest." He met her eyes to see tears shining in hers. "I don't doubt your feelings for me. You broke through my insecurities, and you saw me in a way no one else has in a long time. We are both a little broken, but maybe together we can feel a little more whole." He paused, then that smiled appeared again, the one that showed up at the same time she did. "Now I'm the one sounding like a cheesy romance movie."

She chuckled. They shared a smile, another in a long line of smiles that said everything is going to be alright. The rest of dinner was shared in companionable silence peppered with light conversation.

When they got home that night, he walked her to her bedroom door. He felt sixteen all over again. "I had a great time." She smiled.

He nodded. "Me too." He leaned in and kissed her tenderly, putting all the feelings he couldn't express out loud into that kiss. All too soon they pulled away and she went into the room.

A couple of hours later, his bedroom door opened. He looked at Elizabeth standing in his doorway. This had also become routine for them over that week. She always started out in her room, but ended up in his doorway in the wee hours of the morning.

"Trouble sleeping?" He asked quietly. She nodded. He held the sheets up and she shuffled to the bed; they snuggled in together and enjoyed another peaceful sleep.

Author's Note: I know I'm not being very nice to Cameron at this point, but rest assured she'll get some happiness too. But also be warned, it'll be a little worse before it gets better. Again, thanks for all the great reviews; you're the best!.


	9. Meeting the Team

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 9)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Yea, new chapter! This chapter brings some more of the other characters in, but they're still minor players in this fic. Hope you all like. Reviews are better than Vicodin…hehe.

Chapter 9 – _Meeting the Team_

Saturday afternoon, House and Elizabeth were watching a General Hospital marathon on the Soap Opera channel when the phone rang.

Elizabeth answered it because House was far too engrossed in his soap opera to acknowledge anything else. "Hello?"

"Hi, Elizabeth, it's Wilson." The voice on the other end sounded tired.

"James, how are you? Do you want to talk to Greg?" The glare she received from the man beside her changed her mind. "Actually, he's rather preoccupied at the moment, but I can give a message on commercial break?"

"Commercial break? Oh. General Hospital?"

"Yeah, marathon. We've been watching since we woke up this morning."

"Yeah, well, that's House for you." Wilson said, that tired quality still in his voice.

"Anyway, I was just calling to see if you two wanted to go out tonight." His tone led Elizabeth to believe that things were not alright at home for him.

"I think we can manage that. Or I can just send Greg, if that would be better."

"No, having you there will be nice. Just tell him we'll meet at the usual place at eight."

"Ok, sounds good, see you then." They said 'bye and hung up.

The TV show went on commercial break and House looked at her. "He needs us to go out?"

She nodded. "He said to meet him at the usual place at eight." House nodded and turned his attention back to the television. "He sounded tired; I think Julie's giving him a hard time again." She sounded concerned.

"We'll find out tonight." House sounded more casual about it than he felt. He had a feeling that his best friend was about to get dragged through another painful divorce.

"Ok. I want to make it clear to him that we're here if he needs anything." It was like she read House's mind.

He smiled and took her hand, and they continued watching the GH marathon.

That night they got ready and headed out to meet Wilson.

"This bar is pretty close to the hospital; it's where a lot of the doctors and nurses hang out." House said as they were on the way.

"I guess that's how you two started hanging out there, huh?" Elizabeth glanced at him; he was acting a little strange, nervous-like.

He half shrugged. "Yeah, I just meant…we may run into people we know…from the hospital." His voice was a little quieter than usual.

"Oh, right. Well, I could stay home, and you two can get drunk, then I'll pick you up." She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice.

He sighed. "No, that's…that's not what I meant."

"Ok, so, what did you mean?" She asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I don't know." Silence settled over them for the rest of the drive.

Once inside they found Wilson, and whatever silent argument they'd been having was laid aside so they could focus on taking care of him.

Wilson was sitting in a corner booth staring at the label on his beer; he looked up as House and Elizabeth reached the table. "Hey."

House gave him a nod of greeting; Elizabeth gave him a smile. "Hey, looks like you got a head start." She looked to his beer which was two-thirds empty already.

He gave her a small smile in return. "Well, you've got plenty of time to catch up." He was already waving the waitress over.

"Oh, no, not me. I have to stay sober so I can take advantage of Greg when we get home." She said it as though it was the most normal thing in the world.

The waitress took their drink orders, beer for House, another beer for Wilson, and a diet Coke of Elizabeth.  
"Julie left me." Wilson blurted out as the girl went to get their drinks. "She said she just can't be with a man who is more dedicated to his job than to his wife." His voice was filled with defeat and resignation.

House regarded his friend solemnly. "Well, it's her loss. She knew what she was getting when she married you and if she wants to decide now that it's not good enough, well, I feel sorry for her." He was quiet for a moment. "When did she leave?"

The girl returned with drinks; Wilson didn't answer until she was gone again. "Thursday night. I didn't tell you because I needed to process it all first, let it sink in." He took a drink of his beer. "This makes three. I'm thirty-five and already on my third divorce. Pathetic." He took another long drink.

House shook his head. "No, this is not all your fault." He looked at Elizabeth, who had remained silent, allowing the two friends to talk it out. "Your problem is, you keep rushing to the altar with the wrong woman, instead of waiting of the right one."

"Maybe some people just don't find the right one." Wilson said.

Elizabeth shook her head; she couldn't stay quiet now. "No, that's not true. It just takes a little longer for some people. Some people have to go a lot of the wrong ones to get to the right one."

He gave a little snort. "How would you know?" He softened a little at the hurt in her eyes. "I mean, I'm sorry, but you found the perfect guy in college, House mentioned it to me, and then moved here and found House. How can you possibly know?"

Her eyes darkened; she raised her shirt so he could see the scars. "Because one of my wrong ones did this." She bit out. "I woke up to the feel of cold steel piercing my skin, to him trying to kill me, because I broke up with him." She lowered her shirt and took in the near identical looks on the men's faces. Their eyes were wide, filled with sympathy, outrage, and apology. Her face softened. "Look, I'm sorry. This isn't about me, but assuming that I don't know how hard it is to find the right person hits a real nerve with me."

He nodded. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have said that." He paused. "This is what I do. I feel miserable so I'm doing what I can to make everyone around me miserable too." He took a deep breath. "Let's not talk about it anymore, ok?" House and Elizabeth nodded in agreement. Wilson glanced out over the crowd, and his eyes widened. "Oh, you'll never believe who just walked in." He was smiling.

"Who?" House turned and saw who Wilson had noticed. "Shit." He muttered quietly as he turned back to the table.

"What? Who is it?" Elizabeth was looking over her shoulder.

"It's…my team."

She turned to look at him. "Oh." She paused. "Should I hide?" There was sarcasm in the question, but she was quiet and he knew she was serious.

"No. And stop doing that." House was getting upset.

"Too late anyway. They're headed this way." Wilson interrupted.

The three younger doctors stepped up to the table. "Well, this is a surprise." Foreman said, smirking. "Dr. House, Dr. Wilson, good to see you."

Wilson was smiling, and House responded with a slight nod. After a moment, Foreman spoke again. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

House raised his eyebrows. "Hmm? Oh, right. Guys, this is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is…"

"Wait, let me guess." She interrupted him. "Foreman…Chase…and Cameron." She shook each of their hands, getting their names right. "I've heard so much about you." She smiled.

"Really? Too bad we can't say the same." Cameron smiled sweetly, but all the guys raised an eyebrow at her slightly sarcastic tone.

Elizabeth took it all in stride. "Yeah, that's because he's ashamed of me." She chuckled; House glared at her.

Wilson chuckled at the two of them. "Would you guys like to join us?" He offered.

Chase spoke up then. "That sounds good, but I think we'll need a bigger table."

The group moved to a table a little closer to the bar so there was room for the six of them. Just before they sat down, Elizabeth grabbed House's arm lightly. "We don't have to stay; we can leave whenever you want just give me the word." She whispered in his ear.

He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I'm not trying to hide you away, no matter what you think. We are going to sit here and interact, and let them ask you all sorts of questions, trying to get to know me." He smiled against her neck as he leaned over to place a soft kiss there. "And we'll just say you owe me one."

She shivered slightly, but then her lips curved into a wicked smile. "Who knows you may get lucky." She flicked his earlobe with her tongue, then took her seat.

'_Oh, shit. This girl is going to be the death of me._' He thought as he took his seat.

The five doctors chattered on for a few minutes about cases and current hospital gossip. But once the waitress had brought out the next round of drinks, Foreman couldn't contain his questions any longer.

"So, Elizabeth, how did you meet House?"

She smiled, glanced at House, then answered honestly. "I'm his housekeeper/cook.

That's how we met; the dating came after about a month of that."

Foreman and Chase nodded; Cameron was staring at her drink. "So, do you still work for him?" Chase asked.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I guess so; I mean, we haven't really talked about it. This is all still really new."

"So, if you are still his employee, it's like he's paying you to be his girlfriend." This came from Cameron; she looked up to meet Elizabeth's eyes. They were sitting next to one another, and the challenge in Cameron's eyes was clear. "Or maybe you're used to that kind of thing." Her words were dripping with malice.

Elizabeth's hands clenched into fists in her lap; she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to ground herself. Then she stood. "Please excuse me for a moment." She left the table.

House watched her walk away then turned eyes burning with anger on Cameron. She visibly flinched. "How dare you." He was nearly shouting at her. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

He probably would have said more, but she jumped off her barstool and rushed from the table. House watched her run off, then hopped down from his stool and headed in the direction Elizabeth had gone. The other three watched the whole thing with mildly shocked expressions on their faces.

House found Elizabeth sitting alone at the bar. "Hey." He said quietly as he sat beside her.

"Hey." She looked at him. "Sorry about running off like that, but if I had stayed there, I would have hit her."

He shook his head. "You don't need to apologize; she was way out of line." He was quiet for a moment. "You want to get out of here?" He asked sincerely.

She nodded then looked up at him. "Do you mind?"

The look he gave her clearly said of course he didn't mind and she shouldn't even ask such a ridiculous question. "Let me just make sure Wilson will be ok getting home." He got up and took her hand.

They reached the table to find Chase and Foreman, but no Wilson. "Where did Wilson go?" House asked.

The two younger men shrugged. "Said something about checking on Cameron." Foreman answered.

"Hmm, maybe he's taking my advice." House muttered half to himself; he shook his head. "Anyway, we're leaving. So just let him know that, and I'll see you two Monday."

They nodded. Chase looked at Elizabeth. "It was very nice to meet you; maybe we can do this again sometime."

Foreman nodded. "Yeah, and don't worry about Cameron; she'll come around."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled, then House dragged her out of the bar. They were quiet in the car, and all the way into the house and to her bedroom door.

"Well, goodnight." He leaned in to give her the normal goodnight kiss, like every other night.

She deepened the kiss, then pulled back to whisper against his lips. "Make love to me, Greg."

He pulled back to look down into her eyes. "What? I…I thought…you wanted to slow down."

"I know, but now I changed my mind. I want you to make love to me." She kissed him again.

This time when he pulled away, it was so he could take her hand to lead her back up the hallway to his room. She had asked twice; he wasn't going to make her beg…not yet.


	10. Sunday Morning

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 10)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: This chapter is another fairly short one, but I'm pretty proud of it. It's pretty late last night when I wrote a good portion of it, so I am a little afraid that I overdid some of it, but anyway, hope you all like. Reviews make me happy. Thanks to all of you. 

Chapter 10 – _Sunday Morning_

The morning sun was breaking in around the edges of the blinds when House woke; he reached out for Elizabeth, but she wasn't there. His eyes shot open and turned to where she should have been; there was a small piece of paper on her pillow. His heart was in his throat; fear coiled in his belly as he reached for the note.

_Morning sexy,_

_ I'll be right back. Stay put._

_ E_

He breathed a sigh of relief, and the nervousness in his stomach gave way to hysterical laughter in the form of chuckles because full-out laughter was still not his style.

The rich aroma of coffee hit his nose a moment before she appeared in the doorway. "Hey you." She smiled.

"Hey. Thanks." He took the cup of coffee she offered.

She gave him a kiss and sat next to him on the bed. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You?"

"Like a baby." She took a sip of her coffee, and took the note from his hand. "Sorry about this, but I woke up first and wanted to make coffee. I was afraid if you woke up and I just wasn't here, you'd freak out."

He rolled his eyes, covering the fact that he had in fact "freaked out" "Me? Freak out? No way."

She chuckled. "Anyway. I also wanted to talk to you about something." He raised his eyebrows in a 'go on' manner. "Last night Chase asked if I still work for you, and I told him that we haven't talked about that yet."

"I remember."

"Right. Well, I know you and I haven't discussed it, but it is something that I've thought about. I sent out some résumés last week."

"Oh. That's good. What type of job are you looking for?"

"Security." She answered simply.

"Security? What does that mean?"

"Like a security guard. I sent résumés to a couple of corporate offices and to the hospital." She was watching him carefully to gauge his reaction.

"Security guard." He was deep in thought. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"No more than being a cop, and since I'm not ready to do that again…" She met his eyes. "This is all I know to do, Greg. I was a cop for four years, and I was damn good at it. Serving the public, helping, protecting, it's what I do, who I am. I can't avoid it any longer; I'm going nuts sitting around this house every day cooking and cleaning."

"Ok." He took her hand. "Ok. I didn't mean to sound questioning. If this is what you want to do, then ok." He kissed her deeply to reaffirm his words. Then a thought hit him. "Wait. You sent a resume to the hospital? PPTH?"

She nodded. "I was trying to put off telling you until I found out if I got the job. Would it bother you if I worked there?"

"What? No, of course not. I…I just…it took a minute for me to realize what you'd said, but that would be great." He smiled and kissed her hand.

She smiled relief clear in her eyes. "Oh, good. I'm so glad…thank you." She kissed him. "Are you hungry? I'm going to make breakfast; stay here." Another quick kiss and she was out the door.

He watched her go with a slightly amused expression.

Later as they ate, they chatted about all sorts of things.

Then, Elizabeth looked at House, a small smile playing on her lips. "So, did you tell James to ask Cameron out?"

He smiled. "Yeah, kind of."

"That would be nice, I think." She sipped her coffee. "I know she and I didn't get along last night, but I also know from you that she's really a good person. If she and James can make each other happy, then I think that's great."

House nodded. "They're alike in a lot of ways. They both got in to medicine to save people, and they've both had a lot of heartache in the past."

She nodded, and looked down at her plate. "Yeah, but if she hurts him; I'll kick her ass." She took a bite.

End of discussion. No questions, no ifs, ands, or buts. He knew it was a promise. In the short time she had known Wilson, she was already that protective of him. House thought that was due in part to things he had told her about Wilson, but also because she was that intuitive. She knew Wilson from the moment they met; just as she had known House from their first meeting.

Once they finished their breakfast, he took her plate and set it on the nightstand with his. "That was good, thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome." She was crawling toward him, graceful, cat-like, sly predatory grin on her face. "Had to feed you; you'll need your strength." She took hold of the hem of his t-shirt and began raising it, grazing fingertips across his nipples on the way up.

He groaned, then leaned forward so she could lift the t-shirt over his head. Once the shirt was out of the way, he took hold of her face, gently, between his hands, kissing her passionately, and the small spark was fanned into the great flame of desire between them.

An hour later, they lay in the quiet; his arms wrapped around her, as she was turned with her back to his chest, playing with the hair on his arm. His fingers were dancing lightly across her stomach, unconsciously tracing the scars there.

Her quiet voice broke the silence. "I got lucky they said. He managed to miss all the vital organs, nicked my stomach, but nothing they couldn't handle. Lucky." She gave a small snort. Then she drew his hand down to the other scars, the ones on her lower abdomen. "These didn't miss. He made such a mess of it all, that there was nothing they could do but remove the organs." She paused, then quietly. "And that's how I got to have a full hysterectomy at the age of 20. I was lucky."

His arms tightened around her. "I'm sorry. Doctors are idiots." He was quiet for a moment. "Did they get the guy who did this?"

Her head fell back to his shoulder, face turned to the ceiling, eyes closed. "They didn't have to. Part of the reason the cuts were so messy was that I fought so hard. I didn't just lay there and let him kill me. He had the element of surprise on his side because he came to me while I was asleep. But once the initial shock passed, I was kicking and screaming and pushing at him. He was bigger and stronger and he was on top of me, that's how he was able to do so much damage. But then he made a mistake, left himself too open, and I was able to wrestle the knife around to get him just under the ribcage. I shoved until it was buried to the hilt, then pushed up right into his heart." She paused. "I passed out shortly after that, from shock and blood loss. One of my neighbors had heard the screaming and fighting and called 911. He was DOA, and they rushed me to the ER." She opened her eyes. "I killed him. The cops said it was a clear case of self-defense, and charges were never filed. I'll tell you though; he got off easy that night. Because if I hadn't killed him that night, the guys would have put him through so much, he'd have wished for death."

"Your friends were protective of you."

She nodded. "Very; they defended my honor in a couple of bar fights over the years." She smiled. Then she rolled over onto her stomach, still pressed against the line of his body, and placed a wet kiss on his chest over his heart. "So, when I said I can't get pregnant. It's not because I'm on the pill, or because that just wasn't the night, it's not a possibility for me…ever."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up to kiss her. "I understand. And it's not an issue for me. Being a father was never a role I saw myself in, not even in my life before the infarction." He gave her another kiss, then pulled back so he could gaze into her dark blue eyes. "I love you, Elizabeth."

She knew how much it took for him to say those words out loud, how hard it was. And even though she had already known how he felt by the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, hearing the words aloud put to rest every insecurity, every bit of fear, she had left. And there were tears in her eyes as she met his piercing cerulean stare. "I love you, Greg."

They made love again. It was soft and slow and tender. They touched and kissed in a need, not to consume, but to learn. To know their lover's body more, to memorize everything. To feel and be felt, to know and be known, to love and be loved. It was a melding of hearts as well as bodies. Their climax was a burst of color and sound and feeling, and in that moment, they fully became one. One heart, mind, and soul. In that moment their broken hearts melded and became one whole. And there was hope, after all.


	11. The Phone Call

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 11)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: This chapter adds a bit more drama to this story; hope you all like. Reviews make me happy. Thanks to all of you that have given reviews on this story. Especially to goodsam, I'm glad you like the story and the idea of Cameron and Wilson together. We'll just have to see how that goes. 

Chapter 11 – _The Phone Call_

A couple of months passed, and life was good. The relationship between House and Elizabeth was great. She took the job as a daytime security guard five days a week at PPTH. Finally, something else had developed over those months; Wilson and Cameron started dating.

"She may be the best woman I've ever known." Wilson was smiling, walking alongside House, making their way through the brightly lit hospital.

House nodded. "She's the only girlfriend of yours that I've liked." Wilson rolled his eyes. "Seriously, that's great; I'm happy for you." He gave Wilson a small smile.

"Thanks." He shook his head and chuckled. "You know, you've become like, a decent guy since Elizabeth came along. People actually don't mind being around you."

"Yeah, she's totally ruined my reputation. I swear, I'm going to have to start working harder to be a bastard." He emphasized his point by growling at a nurse who had smiled at him.

"Well, don't worry; I have a feeling you'll manage. Anyway, Cameron wanted me to ask you if you guys want to get together on Friday."

"I'll talk to Wilson." He glanced at Wilson. "You know, she's not mad at Cameron. She's just been waiting for Cameron to be ok with things. I know she would like another couple to be able to do things with, and since you're like the only other person I can stand prolonged exposure to, you two are the logical choice."

Wilson nodded. "Ok. Well, talk to Elizabeth and let me know." They came to the desk at the ER check-in. Wilson smiled at the nurse behind the desk. "Anything interesting come in today?"

She shook her head. "Not really. We did have a New York City cop brought in about half an hour ago, multiple gunshot wounds."

This got House's attention. "New York City cop?"

"Yeah, apparently he was on vacation here with some friends, and got caught up in a robbery at a convenience store."

"What was the name?"

She looked at him curiously, but started looking through her papers. "Here it is. Waterford, Nathaniel."

"Shit." House breathed out, reaching for his cell phone and heading outside.

Wilson was right beside him. "What is it, House?"

House glanced at him. "I think it's one of Elizabeth's friends." He hit 'Send.'

Elizabeth was sitting on the couch reading and enjoying her day off when the phone rang. She saw House's cell number on the caller ID and smiled. "Hey sexy."

"Lizabeth." He used the familiar nickname, but his voice was quiet, tone far more serious than it should have been. "You need to come over here."

She was getting scared. "What is it? What happened?"

He sighed. "Did you know a cop named Waterford in New York?"

She froze, her grip tightened on the phone. "What happened, Greg?"

"Just get here." He hung up.

Fifteen minutes later, she was running to the front desk. "Nate Waterford?" She was asking the nurse.

"Lizabeth." House stepped up behind her.

She spun around to face him. "Where is he? Is he ok?"

"He's in surgery. He was shot, once in the arm and once in the chest. From what I could gather it hit his right lung, but missed anything else."

Her eyes were wide with shock and fear. "Oh my god." Then her eyes darted to the waiting room, but her view was partially blocked. "Is there anyone here with him?"

"Apparently he was on vacation with a couple friends." He was watching her closely, trying to decipher the emotions playing across her face. "They're in the waiting room."

She was walking to the waiting room before he could say or do anything. As soon as she stepped into the doorway, she saw them. "Jon? Brendan?"

The two young men looked up at the sound of their names. Their eyes widened in surprise; they stood and walked up to her. "Lizzy?" Jon's voice was filled with the shock they all felt.

"What are you guys doing here? In Jersey, I mean."

"Looking for you, actually." Brendan answered. "We stopped to get a snack before seeing you. The place got robbed. Nate stepped in to help; we all did, but he got shot." His voice was distant, still in some shock over what had happened.

Jon looked at her. "We found out you were here when you applied for the job at the hospital."

She nodded. "I think I half-expected you to find me since I got here."

Jon nodded then. "It was his idea. You don't have to see him; go now, we'll take him home."

"Yeah, we tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen. We held him off for this long, but finally he said, he was coming with or without us. We figured if we were here with him, your chances would be better." Brendan looked at her sympathetically.

She put her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. "It's ok. I knew I'd have to face him eventually, and having the two of you here also will help. He never acted out as much when you guys were around."

A throat cleared behind her, and she realized that she had forgotten about House. She took a deep breath. "Um, guys, I want you to meet someone." She took House's hand in hers, and he stepped up next to her. "This is Dr. Greg House. Greg, these are a couple of my friends I told you about. This is Jon Alexander and Brendan Franklin."

They all shook hands; Jon and Brendan looking at her questioningly, House suspiciously.

"So, you two are dating?" Jon asked, looking pointedly at their entwined hands.

Elizabeth opened her mouth, but House answered before she could get the words out. "Living together, actually."

All three men were looking at her expectantly, but she was staring at the floor, refusing to meet any of their gazes, afraid of the questions she would find there.

Finally, House broke the silence. "What's going on Elizabeth? Who exactly is this guy?"

She looked up at him, tears clouding her blue eyes. "He's…my husband."

Author's Note: Sorry about the cliffhanger here but it just fit. Don't hate me. ;P


	12. The Truth

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 12)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: This chapter took on a life of its own and got a little long, but I hope you all like it anyway. As always reviews are appreciated. 

Tess: lol to your gasp. I hope that means you like, because that's how I'm taking it. ;P

Chapter 12 – _The Truth_

'_He's…my husband_.' The words were a distant echo in his head; he'd heard them, but his brain couldn't process them. '_She can't be married_.' His heart was screaming at his brain to un-hear the confession, to make her take it back. He wanted this to be a nightmare. He could wake up and none of this would be real.

The surgeon walked in then, and House took that moment to escape.

Elizabeth wanted to go after him; she wished they could pretend this hadn't happened and go back to how things had been before the phone call. But that wasn't possible, so she let him go, and she stayed with her friends to talk to the surgeon.

"Are you Mrs. Waterford?" The doctor asked. He glanced at Jon and Brendan whom he'd met prior to the surgery.

She grimaced slightly at the sound of the last name, but nodded. "Yes."

He offered his hand. "I'm Dr. Avery." She shook his hand, and continued. "The surgery went very well. The damage to his lung was actually quite minimal. I expect a full recovery. Your husband was very lucky."

Elizabeth listened and heard everything the doctor was telling her, but everything was tinged with a kind of surreal quality. It was like it wasn't her life, but someone else's entirely, and she was a spectator watching the scene unfold.

Jon, having picked up on her dazed expression, thanked the doctor and began to lead Elizabeth back to the chairs along the far wall.

"When can we see him?" Brendan asked before the doctor left.

"He's in post-op now, but a nurse will come and get you shortly. We'll need to keep him here for a few days, but as long as everything stays stable, he'll be able to go home by the end of the week." Then he left.

Brendan made his way to the chairs and sat on the left side of Elizabeth. "You ok, Lizzy?"

"I don't go by that name anymore, Teddy Bear." Her voice was hollow. She felt more tired than she had in months.

"What were you thinking, Elizabeth? Leaving Nate like that, right after Jason's funeral. If he had ever had any doubts about the two of you, they were laid to rest the moment you skipped town." Jon was watching her, searching her face.

"I couldn't stay there after Jason was killed; you know he was the only way I lived through that fucking marriage." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"What about this new guy? You know what will happen if Nate finds out?" Brendan was trying to be gentle, but he wondered if she really grasped how bad this situation could get.

She nodded. "I know which is why he can't find out."

Jon gave her a one-armed hug. "We'll do our best to help you, you know that." He paused. "You never told the guy that you're married?"

She shook her head. "It's not really something I talk about. I guess I thought if I didn't tell Greg, I could pretend there was no marriage. I just wanted to escape, start a new life. Is that so horrible?"

Brendan hugged her from the other side. "Of course not. And you know that we'll help; we just want you to be happy. But you've got to tell him the truth. If he's really the right guy, he deserves to know."

She knew they were right; she just wished she knew what to say to Greg. Whatever she said, she was really afraid of the outcome

mdmdmdmdmdmd

She found him in his office, staring out the window.

"Greg?" Her tentative question broke the silence and alerted him to her presence.

His answering voice was as quiet as hers. "When you said husband, you meant ex, right?" Because even though it still meant she'd lied to him, he thought it was something he could accept more easily. "You meant that he's your ex-husband." He turned to her, his cerulean eyes pleading with her.

Her gaze dropped to the floor; she couldn't face those pleas. "No, we're still married, technically." Saying it out loud hadn't been necessary. Her hesitation and refusal to meet his eyes told him everything he didn't want to know.

He nodded solemnly. "I guess, you just forgot to mention it. I can see how that would happen; I mean it's not really important information." The biting sarcasm in his voice made her heart constrict. He was pulling away, shutting her out, and she was losing him.

Her tear-filled eyes came up to see that his face was a carefully blank mask, constructed to hide his true feelings. "Greg…I…it's not that easy. Let me explain." The tears were beginning to roll down her cheeks, but she barely noticed.

"Explain? I don't see that there's anything to explain." His voice had raised slightly, the only indication that he was feeling anything. The next words came out low and filled with malice. "Why don't you go see your husband; I'm sure he needs you."

She wanted to say something, anything to make him listen, but she knew that wouldn't work with Greg. Now all she could do was wait for him to be ready to listen. So she gave a small nod and turned to go. Her hand was on the door when he spoke again. "I'll want you out of my house by tomorrow night."

She looked at him over her shoulder, but he was staring at his desk. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she left the room.

mdmdmdmdmdmd

Elizabeth was standing outside Nate's room, trying to gather up the courage to face the man she'd run from only four months before.

"Hard to hide behind glass walls."

She turned to see Jon standing there. "I made sure I was out of his eye line. I thought you'd be in there."

"Needed a drink." He held up a soft drink.

"Too bad it's not something stronger." She gave him a small smile.

"How did it go with Greg?"

She shook her head. "Not good, not that I really expected much different. He kicked me out." Her voice was empty. She knew that later when she was alone, she'd fall apart and the tears would come, but that would have to wait for now. There were things she had to tend to first, and one of them was laying in a hospital bed waiting for her.

mdmdmdmdmdmd

Wilson walked into House's office without knocking, expecting his friend to be engrossed in a video game or soap opera. Instead what he found was his best friend sitting in a silent office staring at a blank computer screen.

"Got your page. What's up?" He asked, taking his normal seat in front of House's desk.

Not looking away from the blank screen, House answered quietly. "She's married."

Wilson stared for a minute, sure that he'd heard wrong. "She's married? When…how…what?"

House looked up then. "You forgot who and where." It was a typical House response, but it was delivered minus his usual sarcasm and wit. He sighed. "The NYC cop that came in today with gunshot wounds. Apparently, that's her husband, and, depending on how much she lied to me, he may also be the brother of her partner, who was killed."

Wilson took a few quiet moments to absorb the information. "Wow. So, what are you going to do?"

House looked at him like the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. "The only thing I can do. Send her home with her husband, and forget about her."

"Wait. You can't just give up like that." He took a deep breath. "Look, I know she lied to you, and that's bad. I get that. But did she tell you why she left her husband? Did you let her explain anything?" The look on House's face told him what he already knew. She had hurt him; giving her a chance to defend herself had been the last thing on his mind. "I've seen the way you two look at each other, how happy you've been since she came along. Don't let her go without a fight." He sighed and stood. "Just…hear her out, ok?" He left the room.

House watched him until he was out of sight, then turned to stare out the window hoping the answers he needed were written in the clouds.

mdmdmdmdmdmd

Elizabeth took a deep breath and opened the door. She stepped inside and met eyes she had hoped to never see again. She gave him a small smile. "Hey. How do you feel?" She asked slowly, coming to stand by his bed.

"Like I got shot." He turned his head to look at her, as Jon and Brendan backed away to give them a little privacy. "This is your fault you know."

Her face registered confusion. "Excuse me?"

"If you hadn't run away from home, I wouldn't have needed to come get you. Therefore I wouldn't have been in that convenience store when it was robbed, so I wouldn't have been shot."

"Nate…" Jon started to step in.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, Jon, it's ok. I can handle this." She turned back to Nate. "Now you listen to me. I'm not the scared little girl you married, and I won't let you bully me anymore. You say it's my fault you got shot; you're full of shit. I never asked you to come here; that was your choice. Therefore, it's your fault. Now, you're going to stay here until you get better, then you're going back to the city, and I'm going to stay here. You will grant me the divorce I've been trying to get for the last seven years, and you will leave me alone." She took a deep breath to make up for the ones she didn't take during her tirade.

He smiled ferally. "You're pretty tough while I'm laid up in this bed. Let's see how you do when I get out."

The thinly veiled threat was meant to scare her into submission, but she had gained a lot of strength since leaving New York. When she smiled she knew it was just as malicious as Nate's had been. "You just try something, Nate. This isn't your town; your daddy can't save you here. You hit me in this town, and I'll make sure they arrest your ass, and there's no way in hell he can sweep it under the rug." She smirked down at him as she watched the realization fill his eyes. This was a fight he wouldn't win; he no longer had control over her.

She turned and headed out the door. "I'll check on you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, sweetheart." She threw over her shoulder, smiling to herself. '_Damn that felt good_.'

Elizabeth never even saw House standing just around the corner, having heard everything.


	13. Still Hope?

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 13)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: This is another sad chapter, but I promise it'll get better soon. Thanks to all of you who have given reviews so far; it really makes me want to keep writing. 

Chapter 13 – _Still Hope?_

Elizabeth took a deep breath and knocked on the open door in front of her.

Wilson looked up from the paperwork he was working on. "Hi. Please, come in."

"Thanks. Are you busy? I could come back later." She questioned.

"No, I can spare a few minutes. What's up?"

She took a seat in front of his desk. "Um…I just…you've talked to Greg?"

He nodded. "I have."

She nodded and looked away. "I didn't mean for this to happen." She raised her head to meet his eyes. "I've been trying to leave this guy for years. I know that doesn't excuse my lying, but I…I just want Greg to listen. I want him to know that not everything was a lie, that what I feel for him isn't a lie." Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"I know that, and I think he knows that in his heart. You really hurt him, though; he's going to need a little time before he can really think about forgiving you."

She nodded. "Yeah. Anyway, I'll let you get back to work." She stood and went to the door.

"Elizabeth." She turned back to him. "Be patient. It'll work out because he really loves you." Wilson tried to offer some encouragement.

She gave him a small smile, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. "Thanks, James." And she went in search of Jon and Brendan.

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They were sitting at a table against the wall in the cafeteria.

"I was hoping you two wouldn't be hanging out in Nate's room." She smiled at Jon and Brendan as she sat.

"We figured you might want to talk." Jon answered. "That was some speech you gave in there."

Brendan nodded in agreement. "I've never seen you go off on him like that. "His tone held a degree of awe.

She shook her head. "I've never done it before; I was always too scared of him." She smiled at the memory of the look on his face. "But it felt so freaking good."

Jon smiled. "I was proud of you. Today I saw the woman that we all knew you could be." He paused. "I know Jason's proud too."

Elizabeth nodded. "I could feel him with me. I miss him so much sometimes. I still love him, but now I love Greg too." She closed her eyes to hold back the tears; there were still things to do before she could cry. "You know, there was a time when I was madly in love with Nate, in the beginning." She opened her eyes, but she wasn't seeing anything in the room. "It wasn't until we'd been married for a few months that I found out what a son of a bitch he is. I'll never forget the first time he hit me; I was in such shock that I couldn't do anything but stare at him. I was so ashamed in front of you guys; I tried to hide the bruise with makeup, but Jason saw it. He was furious. I'd never seen him so mad."

Brendan said. "I remember. He told us that he had gone to his father, but he wouldn't do anything. So Jason decided that from then on he would watch out for you, and he asked Jon and me to watch when he couldn't."

"He really loved you. It tore him up to see what Nate was doing to you. I think if it had been any other guy, Jason would have just killed him. But it was his brother, so all he could do was watch you fall apart, and then be there for you to put the pieces back together." Jon spoke his own memories of their friend.

"We were in love. If Nate had granted me a divorce, Jon and I would have gotten married. But that was never going to happen, so we kept it quiet, you know." She gave a little chuckle. "When he first suggested that we start 'dating' I thought he was crazy, but ultimately it made all the sense in the world. But you know, it wasn't like the affairs you see in the movies; it was never about sex for us. We had that, of course, but really, it was about having someone to talk to and lean on and have fun with." Her wistful smile turned to sadness as she started to think about House. "And that's how it started with Greg. I knew him for a month before we ever had sex or even kissed." She wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "What am I going to do?"

Brendan put a large hand over hers on the table. "It'll be ok, you'll see. Right now, you need to get out of here and get some rest; it's been a long day. Do you have a place to stay?" He asked gently.

She shook her head. Jon patted her arm. "We reserved three rooms; since Nate won't be needing it, you can take the extra."

"Ok." She nodded, too tired to argue, not like she had a real reason to argue anyway. She did need a place to stay. "I have to get some things from the house; I'll meet you guys there." They nodded, and she stood to go.

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Elizabeth ran into Cameron on her way to the front entrance, literally. "Oh, I'm sorry." Elizabeth excused herself.

"Elizabeth?" Cameron questioned, realizing who the distraught woman in front of her was. Elizabeth's eyes met hers. "Are you ok? I heard what happened."

"Boy, good news really travels fast in this place."

"James told me."

"Oh, right. Congratulations on that by the way; how's it going with the two of you?" Elizabeth was hugging herself.

"Good, thanks." She could see how truly upset Elizabeth was. "Um…listen if you need someone to talk to, I…you can call me." Cameron offered.

"Really? I mean, I just expected you to be on his side." Elizabeth's face showed her confusion and surprised.

"I am." Cameron nodded. "In the sense that I know being with you is what he needs." She paused. "I hated you when I first found out about you because I thought you had taken House from me. But the truth is that you didn't take him away; he was never mine to begin with, and you can't lose what was never yours." She smiled. "I know the best woman won, and besides, if that whole thing hadn't happened, James and I may not have gotten together. I really owe you one for that."

Elizabeth gave her a small smile in return. "Thank you. I may take you up on that tomorrow. Tonight I need to soak in a hot bath, let reality sink in, and cry my eyes out."

Cameron nodded in understanding, then did something really unexpected. She pulled Elizabeth in for a comforting hug. "He'll come around. He's a stubborn old fool, but he loves you." Cameron whispered.

Elizabeth hugged her back and fought back her tears. '_Just a little longer_.'

They pulled away, shared a soft smile, and went their separate ways.

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It was late when House turned the key in the lock and opened the door to his very quiet, dark house. He'd gone out with Wilson to get really, really drunk, but stopped halfway through the night deciding that half-drunk was enough.

He limped through the house going from room to room to see what she'd taken. There were several things left; she'd obviously packed in a hurry, afraid of running into him, no doubt.

Upon finishing his inspection, he sat down at the piano. The room was completely dark except for a patch of moonlight coming through the window. As he began to play a song that sounded as melancholy as he felt, he remembered an evening months ago when he had listened as Elizabeth played a melancholy song of her own. He knew now why she had kept to the dark so much; she'd been hiding from a real life monster.

He stopped playing and sat staring into the darkness. He wanted to call her and tell her that everything was ok. He wanted to hold her and kiss away her tears and fears. He wanted to forgive her.

But he just sat there, staring at nothing. The silence was deafening. He shivered from a chill no blanket could chase away.

There were times he thought his house was too small, packed to full. Suddenly it had never felt so empty. Or maybe that was his soul.


	14. Second Chances

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 14)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Ok folks, here's the chapter you've all asked for. This story is winding down; I think there will only be one more chapter. Thanks for all your reviews; it makes my day.  Now on with the happiness.

Chapter 14 – _Second Chances_

Elizabeth went in a little early for her shift at the hospital the next morning so she could stop by Nate's room first.

"Good morning, sunshine." She greeted brightly. She had promised herself that she wouldn't let him see the sadness that was filling her. She set a plastic bag on the table by the bed. "Brought you some magazines. I've got to get to work, so I'll stop by before I go home."

He looked over her uniform. "I can't believe you're a rent-a-cop. I always knew you were a wuss." He sneered.

She rolled her eyes. "And I always knew you were an asshole. What's your point?"

"What kind of boss doesn't give a person the day of when their spouse is shot?"

She smirked at him. "She offered; I told her I'd rather work." She turned to go. "Oh, by the way…" She faced him again. "Your dick's the smallest I've ever had." She smiled and went for the door. "Get well soon."

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After his lack of concentration made him lose three games of Mario Bros., a game which he could easily conquer two or three times in a day, frustration made House throw the Gameboy across the room.

It narrowly missed Wilson's head as he walked into the office, watching the Gameboy smash onto the hall floor. "Ok, I think it's dead."

House glared at him and picked up his yo-yo.

Wilson watched his friend wind the string around the toy and let it drop. The yo-yo hit the floor before House tugged on the string. "Distracted?"

This earned him another glare. House sighed and put the yo-yo back on his desk. "She's working today. Can you believe it? Her husband was shot yesterday, and today she's back at work."

Wilson had taken his usual seat. "Well, number one, she works at the hospital where she could conceivably look after her husband and work at the same time. Second, and more importantly, I and everyone else I've talked to got the distinct impression that she couldn't care less about even seeing the guy again."

House nodded and laid his head on the back of his chair. "I heard her tell him off yesterday. Apparently, he was abusive, and she's been trying to divorce him for years. I guess he just denied her a divorce to keep control."

"Well, that explains why she left New York and her husband. It even kind of explains why she never told you about him."

House looked at him. "What?"

"Maybe she was too afraid of how you'd react, afraid you wouldn't understand."

"I guess." House closed his eyes. "It doesn't matter, though. She lied to me; it doesn't matter why. I can't trust her now." His whole posture conveyed one thing: defeat.

"Just like that. You're going to give up and let go of the best thing that's happened to you." House's eyes met his. "You fought a pretty damn big war with yourself to let her in in the first place, and now you're going to let her go without a fight?"

"What am I supposed to do? Just forgive her and go on as if nothing had happened?" House shook his head. "That's not me."

Wilson shook his head. "You're wrong. That's not the old you. But then again, the old you wouldn't have fallen for the girl in the first place. If you're too stubborn to see the difference in yourself…" He stood. "Then maybe you don't deserve her anyway."

House looked at Wilson in surprise. "Hey. I thought you were my friend. Shouldn't you be on my side?"

Wilson sighed. "I am on your side, House. You were happy with her, and you know it. This new info shouldn't change that. I'm just trying to make you see that."

"So, this is tough love?"

Wilson gave a small smile. "It's the only thing that works on you." Before he turned to go, he offered one more tidbit for House to think on. "Cameron's having lunch with Elizabeth today; let me know if you need her to pass on any messages."

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"We met in college. He was the TA in my Comp I class the first semester of my freshman year." Elizabeth was telling Cameron about Nate over lunch. "He was handsome, charming, and older. We met in August, he proposed on our six-month anniversary, and we got married in June, the summer before my sophomore year. I was nineteen. Things were great at first, but then he started becoming more possessive and controlling, and then the physical abuse. After about a year of marriage, I told him I wanted a divorce. His response was to hire someone to kill me." Cameron gasped. "I killed the guy in self-defense before he could really hurt me, but he did a good amount of damage." Her hand went to her abdomen. "There was no evidence to link him to the guy, so he got away scot-free, but I know it was him. After that, every time he found out I was trying to file for divorce, he'd refuse and beat the shit out of me. I only stayed in New York because of Jason. When Jason was killed, there was nothing holding me there anymore."

Cameron nodded in understanding. "You never told House about any of this?"

"I told him about being stabbed, obviously, couldn't hide the scars. I told him it had been an ex-boyfriend. And I told him about Jason; I just left out the part about it being an affair. I didn't tell him about Nate being my husband." She sighed. "I know I should have. Part of me knew that Nate would find me, and all hell would break loose, but part of me thought that maybe he'd just let me go, decide it just wasn't worth it. As the months passed, it was easier and easier to believe that, and I just didn't see a reason to upset the delicate balance I had with Greg."

"I understand what you're saying, but House doesn't see it that way. He sees any lie as a betrayal. It doesn't matter what the lie is, or why you did it. It's the unpardonable sin. He doesn't trust many people, and to betray that trust…" She paused. "It'll be hard to get that back." She saw the tears welling up in Elizabeth's eyes. "But…if anyone can do it, you can. I believe that you two will be ok." She offered a comforting smile.

Elizabeth wiped away a stray tear. "I hope so. I can't stand the thought of living without him now."

mdmdmdmdmdmd

Elizabeth pulled into the driveway and shut the car off. Her heart was in her throat at the thought of packing up the rest of her things. '_Better get to it_.' She climbed out of the car and went up the walk.

When she stepped into the living room, she saw House sitting on the couch. Their eyes met across the room, each pair filled with all the things they'd wanted to say for two days.

"Cameron said you were going out with Wilson tonight." Elizabeth said the only thing she could think of.

House nodded. "I told Wilson to have Cameron say that. I wanted to make sure you'd wait until after work to come here."

She was still frozen to her spot just inside the living room. "If you wanted to talk to me, all you had to do was ask."

"I know, but I needed more time to figure out what I wanted to say." He looked at her. "You don't have stand there you know. You can sit down."

She crossed the room and sat in the same chair she'd sat in on that Saturday they'd first met. She sat staring at him, waiting for him to speak first. Fear that he would tell her it was over made her stomach turn.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Finally his deep voice cut through. "I don't want to lose you." His piercing bright blue gaze locked with her dark blue eyes.

There were tears in her eyes. "You didn't lose me." She blinked a few times to clear her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Greg. I really screwed up. I know I should have told you everything from the start, but I was afraid. That doesn't excuse it, if I could go back, I'd do it right this time. But I can't change it. All I can do is say I'm sorry, and beg you to tell me that I haven't lost you." Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

His own eyes were filling with tears as he listened to her pour out her broken heart. "You haven't lost me." He reached out and took a hand from her lap, holding it gently in his own.

She was sobbing brokenly now, and she grasped his hand like it was her only lifeline. She brought it to her lips and brushed a light kiss across his knuckles.

He gave her hand a gentle tug, and she stood from the chair and took a seat beside him on the couch. He was still holding her hand.

They sat like that for hours as she told him the whole story. He listened patiently, interrupting occasionally with a comment or question.

Finally when she finished, he spoke. "I think I understand why you didn't tell me, but I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things from me anymore." He laid he a tender kiss on her forehead. "I never want to go through this again."

She looked up at him with a small smile. "Agreed."

It was late, so they decided to call it a night. She called Jon and Brendan to let them know that she wouldn't be going back to the hotel; they were happy for her. He called Wilson to let him know that things were ok; he said 'I told you so.' And that he was happy for them.

They went to separate rooms; it was too soon to go back to a shared bed. He still needed to fully process everything, and she was willing to wait. Because for the first time since Nate had shown up, she believed the light at the end of the tunnel may not be a train after all.


	15. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Hi everyone! I'm sorry I didn't do any updates over the weekend. I was at a series of concerts all weekend. Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I am working on Chapter 15. And it looks like it won't be the last chapter after all. So enchantedapril don't worry.:) I hope to have this chapter up tonight, but you know how things go sometimes. Anyway, just dropping a note so you don't think I abandoned the story unfinished or something. I have every intention of seeing this one through.

Also, I am considering a companion piece after this that would focus on the relationship between Wilson and Cameron. Any interest in that?

Thanks to all of you who read and review; you guys are awesome. I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story, because I'm having a blast writing it. ;P


	16. Confessions

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 15)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Ok people, here's chapter 15. It's a long one, and has quite a few angsty bits. Took me forever to get out, but I'm pretty proud of it. I think it may be my favorite chapter, because I think it contains some of my best writing. toots own horn lol. Anyway, to all of those who gave reviews thanks so much.

EnchantedApril – Your comments really meant a lot to me, as you are one of my fav authors. I read Saints and Saviors on Your writing is so moving. Love it. Nothing else I can so. Thanks so much. :)

runs with sissors – I'm glad you like the line. As a writer it's nice to hear what lines the readers really like and are touched by. Thank you. :)

goodsam – As always, thank you so much for your reviews. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. I hope this chapter does not disappoint. :)

And now on with the angst.

Chapter 15 – _Confessions_

_When Elizabeth woke in the morning, the sun was shining brightly, bathing the room in a rich warm glow. She smiled as she got out of bed and made her way to the door. She wanted to start coffee before House woke up. She was in such a good mood; her heart felt light, and she knew this was how happy felt._

_All of that dissipated as she opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. Making her way to the living room and then the kitchen, something was different. It was colder here, darker, everything was gray, cold and distant. As she looked around the rooms, she suddenly knew what was different. The house was empty. She ran to House's bedroom and flung the door open, confirming her worst fears. He was gone. There was no evidence that he had even been there in the first place._

"_Greg!" She screamed his name, but the silence of the empty house swallowed it, making it no more than a whisper._

_Elizabeth collapsed to the floor; her entire body shook with the force of the gut-wrenching sobs racking her very soul._

_Suddenly the scene changed. She was no longer crouched in House's empty bedroom; now she was standing in his office at PPTH. She looked around and saw him standing behind his desk._

"_Greg." She said his name, but he acted as though he hadn't heard her, cerulean eyes continuing to stare in front of him. She tried to move, to go to him, but found that she was frozen in place. She turned to see what he was so focused on._

_It was Nate, standing just inside the doorway, holding a gun, trained steadily on House's chest. He smiled wickedly at her, baring his teeth in an animal-like snarl. "If I have to, I'll kill them all. You belong to me." He pulled the trigger._

_In the same instant, a clap of thunder boomed outside, shaking the window and glass walls around them. House fell limply back against his chair, blood pooling on his chest._

_Elizabeth screamed. "No!"_

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At 2:30 in the morning, House found himself opening the door to Elizabeth's room. '_Well, this is a switch_.' He thought to himself.

Her room was bathed in moonlight, and he stood watching her sleep. He loved to watch her in her sleep. It was the most open and unguarded he ever saw her. Her face was always so peaceful and childlike, and with no makeup or anything, he always thought she was the most beautiful when she slept.

It only took a moment for him to realize that she was not peaceful tonight. The sheet was twisting round her legs, indication that she had thrashed about. Then he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks; she was crying in her sleep. '_What the hell?_'

Then she screamed. It was a terror-filled sound that ripped at his heart. He was across the room and by her side before he even realized he'd moved.

"Elizabeth." He called softly as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms. Any feelings of hurt and betrayal that he'd still felt over the events of the last two days, disappeared at seeing how much her nightmare had frightened her. He called to her again, softly but firmly trying to rouse her from sleep.

"Greg?" She questioned, blinking her eyes open, trying to wake from the heartbreaking dream that tried to hold her in its grasp.

"I'm here. You're ok. Everything's ok." His voice was quiet and soothing; he smoothed one hand over her sweat-soaked hair while the other gently rubbed in small circles on her back.

"Greg. Oh my god. I had the most horrible nightmare." She sobbed, hugging him tightly to reassure herself that he was real. She relayed the events of the dream. "It felt so real." She pressed her face to his chest, breathing deeply, inhaling his scent.

He brushed her hair out of her face and placed a soft, tender kiss on her forehead. "I know, but it wasn't. I'm here. You're awake now. He can't hurt you anymore." The last statement was a vow that he would never let Nate, or anyone, hurt her again.

She relaxed in his arms, letting him ease the tension in her body as he massaged her shoulders and back. He held her quietly for a few more minutes.

He gently urged her back onto the bed. "Lay down."

She obeyed instantly. He lay down flat on his back and arranged his leg to the least amount of pain. Then he reached out and gathered her up to him. She curled up around his left side, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"I love you Greg." She whispered, as she closed her eyes.

He heard her breathing change as she drifted off to sleep. "I love you, Elizabeth." He murmured to the quiet, moonlit night.

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The next morning she woke to the feel of House's warm, strong arms surrounding her. She could immediately tell by his breathing pattern that he had wakened first.

"Good morning." She smiled as she turned her head to meet his beautiful blue eyes.

He returned her smile. "Good morning. How do you feel?"

"Better than ever." She gently pulled away and stretched. "How about you?" She asked with a yawn.

He chuckled, then winced slightly as he shifted and jostled his aching thigh. "Not bad. Left my pills in the other room, though."

"Oh. Let me get them." She scrambled off the bed and out the door before he could even think of anything to say.

She returned a moment later with the amber colored bottle. She handed it to him and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to start coffee. Want a bagel?"

He gave a small nod. "That'll be fine."

She flashed him another sweet smile and disappeared out of the room.

About ten minutes later he walked into the kitchen; she was putting cream cheese on the bagels, two cups of coffee sat steaming on the counter. "Hey. What time do you need to be at work?" She asked, handing him his coffee before making her way to the table with the bagels and her coffee.

He glanced at the clock, 7:35. "Whenever I get there. You?"

She shook her head. "I called in. Taking a personal day to take care of some business."

"What kind of business?"

"I have an appointment with a divorce lawyer. I got lucky; he was able to fit me in this morning at 10:15."

House nodded. "That's good. I'm sure you'll be happy to get that started."

Elizabeth nodded. "Oh yeah. That bastard isn't getting out of it this time. At this point, I'm not above fighting dirty."

They finished breakfast, and House got ready for work.

She followed him to the front door. "Have a good day. I'll be at the hospital after I see the lawyer. I'll have to check on Nate, and say hey to Jon and Brendan, so I'll come by your office before I leave."

He gave a small nod, then put on a mock pouty face. "So, you're putting me off until last." He tried to sound hurt.

She grinned up at him. "I always save my favorite part for last." She gave him a soft peck on the lips.

This did not satisfy House, who swiftly pulled her in for a long, slow kiss that left them both a little breathless. He gave a single nod as he pulled away. "Bye."

"Bye." She watched him leave then closed the door.

She was amazed at how easily they had fallen back into old patterns. It was as though nothing had happened. She smiled to herself and went to get ready.

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Wilson was smiling as he listened to House talk about what had happened with Elizabeth. "See, I knew things would be ok, you old softie."

"Shut up." House grumbled.

Wilson grinned wider. "Well, the point is that you two talked things out, and worked through it."

House nodded. "When I saw her caught in that nightmare this morning, I knew there was nowhere else I should be. And waking up with her in my arms was perfect." He paused. "I don't think I've ever loved anyone as much as I love her."

Wilson knew that was a really big confession for House to make. "I'm glad. I'm glad you're letting yourself be happy."

"So, you and Cameron still want to get together?"

Wilson nodded. "Yeah. I know Cameron enjoyed her lunch with Elizabeth, even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances."

"I'm sure Elizabeth enjoyed it too. Anyway, I'm just thinking that with everything that's been going on this week, it would be good for her to get out. I think Nate is supposed to get out on Friday, so maybe we can all go to dinner on Saturday."

"Ok. I'll talk to Cameron, but I'm sure she'll say ok." They sat in silence for a minute. "Want to go to the deli around the corner for lunch?" Wilson asked.

House shook his head. "Elizabeth's going to see a divorce lawyer this morning; she said she'd come by the hospital after she's done."

"Divorce lawyer, huh? Good for her; could get rough, though, with her ex. You ready for that?"

"I won't let him hurt her anymore." That was all he had to say. Wilson knew that House would do whatever had to be done to protect her.

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It was 11:30 when Elizabeth walked into the hospital. She saw Jon and Brendan on the way to Nate's room.

"Hey you." Jon greeted, giving her a hug.

"Hey." She hugged him back and then turned to Brendan.

He enveloped her in his big strong arms; there was a reason they called him Teddy Bear. "How are you holding up?"

She pulled back and smiled at them. "I'm feeling really good. Things with Greg are back on track, better than I had hoped for. And I talked to a divorce lawyer this morning."

"Really? That's great." Jon smiled at her.

She glanced at Nate's room. "I need to talk to him. Give us a few minutes before you come in?"

"Yeah, we need some coffee anyway." Brendan gave her another hug. "Say the word and we're there."

She nodded. "Thanks guys." She took a deep breath and walked into the room. "Morning, sweetheart." She smiled brightly, and this time it wasn't even forced.

"What's got you so happy today?" Nate sneered. "Get lucky last night?"

She fluffed up his pillow. "What's it to you?" She smirked at him.

His eyes darkened. "I'm your husband. I'll kill anyone who touches you."

Her breath caught as she remembered his words in her dream.

Then even more quietly he said. "Took care of Jason, didn't I?"

Her eyes widened, and she looked down at him. "Wh…what?" Her quiet voice registered little more than shock.

He grinned wickedly, further reminding her of the nightmare. "You didn't actually think that was a random hit?"

Elizabeth's heart rate quickened, outrage began to override her shock. "He was your brother!"

Nate shook his head. "He ceased being my brother when he started fucking my wife." He ground out between gritted teeth. "You should have known what would happen. I warned you so many times, but you were too stupid to understand. You signed his death certificate the first time you kissed him."

Elizabeth stood staring at him. Her body thrummed with anger, her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides. Suddenly she screamed, "Bastard!" and launched herself at him, hands immediately closing on his throat. He struggled but her fingers only dug in harder. As she choked him, she repeated over and over. "Murderer!"

Jon and Brendan ran in upon hearing the shouting coming from inside. "Elizabeth!" Jon shouted at her as he and Brendan started prying her away.

Once they had her across the room, Nate yelled, as much as he cold with his sore throat. "That crazy bitch tried to kill me."

Brendan shot him a warning glare, then turned back to Elizabeth. "What happened?"

"He killed Jason." At the confusion on their faces, she clarified. "He hired the guy that shot Jason." At that accusation, Jon and Brendan turned to Nate.

"She's crazy. You guys don't believe her? You were there; we put the guy who murdered Jason in prison." Elizabeth pulled a tape recorder out of her shirt pocket. His eyes widened. "You were recording me!"

She nodded. "It was my lawyer's idea. Just in case you said anything we could use for the divorce case." His eyes narrowed at the mention of a divorce. "Imagine my surprise when you actually give me enough rope to hang you with. You know what happens to cops in prison, Nate? Of course, every cop I know despises a cop killer. So, I guess you're fucked either way." She sneered.

"Go to hell." He rasped out.

She nodded. "Save me a seat." She walked out of the room, Jon and Brendan in tow.


	17. Happily Ever After

Title: The Softer Side (Chapter 16)  
Pairing: House/OC  
Warnings: Possible spoilers through "Honeymoon"  
Summary: "When he was with her, the bitterness and cynicism that are such a part of him just seem to melt away a little."  
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.  
Notes: Well, here it is, the final chapter. This one wraps it all up, nice and neat with a pretty bow…lol. Hope you all like it. Thanks again to all of you who gave reviews on this story. You all are the best. :)

Chapter 16 – _Happily Ever After_

"I can't believe he had his own brother killed." Jon gave voice to the shock they all felt.

Brendan shook his head. "I don't like Nate, for a lot of reasons. There are a lot of things he's done that I can't understand, but I never would have imagined him to be capable of something like that."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "Even with everything he's put me through, it's hard to believe. Although, he did try to have me killed; I don't know why it's such a stretch to brother."

Jon looked at Brendan. "You stay here and watch him. I'm going to go call the DA's office in New York." He looked at Elizabeth. "Can I have the tape?"

Elizabeth handed him the small recorder. "I have to go talk to Greg. Let me know what you find out."

Jon nodded and they went their separate ways down the hall.

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House was listening to his iPod and wishing that he hadn't smashed his Gameboy when Elizabeth walked in. "Hey. How'd it go?" He asked as she sat across from him.

"Well, the lawyer seemed to think it would be an easy case. Of course, in light of recent news, I may not need to proceed with a divorce. If I wait long enough, I just might be a widow." She meant it as a joke, but as she thought about it, the seriousness of the situation made her shiver.

His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What are you talking about? Did something happen to Nate?"

She shook her head. "No…just…Nate hired the man that killed Jason."

His expression turned from confusion to pure shock. "He told you this? That he had his own brother killed?"

She nodded. "He was threatening the idea of me sleeping with another man, then he said that he'd taken care of Jason for it. I had a tape recorder in my pocket to use for the divorce if it came to that." Her eyes began to glaze over; he hands trembled uncontrollably, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Then everything went black.

House noticed her shaking hands and rose from his seat. "Lizabeth, stay with me. You're going into shock. I need you to stay with me." He was calling to her as he quickly made his way to her chair. He caught her with his left arm, just as she passed out. "Nurse!"

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"Lizabeth." The voice calling to her was quiet, distant, as though he were miles away. She felt his hand wrapped around hers, his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking in the light that seemed harsher than it should have. "Hey, there you are." He smiled at her.

Elizabeth's dark blue gaze met House's piercing eyes. "What happened?" She couldn't seem to remember everything. Her head felt groggy, heavy somehow, like she'd had too much to alcohol, but she couldn't remember the party.

"You went into shock and fainted in my office. I had a nurse help me get you here so I could make sure nothing else was wrong." He answered, brushing a stray piece of hair from her forehead.

She looked at the hospital room around her. Then she remembered everything. Talking to Nate, his confession, choking him, talking to Jon and Brendan, then telling House. "I remember."

He nodded. "That's good."

"Can we get out of here? I want to go home." She asked, quietly pleading.

"Yeah, we can do that." He helped her sit up and made sure she was steady enough to walk on her own.

"I just need to say bye to Jon and Brendan." She said as she took hold of his offered hand and let him lead her down the hallway.

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Jon and Brendan were sitting outside Nate's room when Elizabeth and House walked up.

They stood to greet the couple. "Hey." Brendan said with a smile.

"Hey. We're getting out of here." Elizabeth's voice was a little softer than usual.

Jon nodded in understanding. "The DA is really interested in reopening the case with new evidence. We're going to be transporting to the city for his arraignment in the morning. The doctor won't release him until then."

She nodded. "Good. I'm glad they're taking it seriously." She paused. "I'd better say bye now; I can't face him again tomorrow."

Both men nodded. They understood how hard everything was hitting her; how much she'd had to deal with in a short amount of time.

"Well, take care of yourself." Jon said as he hugged her.

She smiled. "I will; you, too."

Brendan wrapped his arms around her. "Come see us sometime, ok?"

She nodded. "I'll try. Thank you, Teddy Bear."

"It was good to meet you. I'm glad to finally see her truly happy." Jon said offering his hand to House.

House shook both of their hands, nodding. "Good to meet you both. Hope we can do it again under better circumstances." To the surprise of both him and Elizabeth, his offer was sincere.

One more smile and hug between friends, then House and Elizabeth left the hospital.

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A couple of hours later, after a light dinner and long, hot bath, Elizabeth lay quietly in House's arms.

He was rubbing in small circles on her back as he had the night before. "It's been a hell of a week, hasn't it?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Can't wait to put this one behind me." She was silent for a moment. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She turned her head so she could meet his eyes. "For being here. For loving me enough to get through this. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you." Tears filled her eyes.

He pulled her face up to his and kissed her deeply. "And as long as it's in my power, you'll never have to find out." He whispered against her lips.

She knew in that moment after the hell they'd been through that week, this was as close to heaven as you'd ever get while still on Earth

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Elizabeth set her wine back on the table. "Yeah. Nate's not even fighting the divorce anymore. He told Jon to tell me to just send him the papers. My lawyer is going to take care of it next week. And the New York DA is very confident they'll get a conviction on him for Jason's death." House squeezed her shoulder, as she smiled at Wilson and Cameron seated across from them.

The four friends were out having dinner on Saturday night, unwinding from the longest week ever.

Cameron smiled at her. "That's so great. I'm so happy that everything worked out." She glanced at House who also gave her a small smile in return.

"Here, here." Wilson agreed. "I know it's got to be a load off your mind."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, it is." She sighed. "Well, anyway, let's not talk about it anymore. I want to enjoy our night out. The first of many, I hope." Everyone, including House, nodded. She raised her glass. "I'd like to propose a toast; to friends, old and new, and to love, the only thing that gets us there."

They all drank to that, and spent the evening telling stories, laughing, and enjoying the time spent with friends.

Elizabeth was watching House at one point, and her mind began to drift. She thought about all the fairy tales she'd read as a child. '_Once upon a time_,' princes and princesses, white horses riding into the sunset, and '_happily ever after_.' She didn't believe in fairy tales so much anymore, and House wasn't the happily ever after type. But as she watched him smiling and talking, and just being…happy, she decided that close enough was okay with her.

The End

Ok, folks, there you have it. Hope it was what you hoped for. I'll be starting on the Wilson/Cameron story now. Won't be able to get anything up the rest of this week, but look for it sometime this weekend. And once again to all who reviewed on this story, thanks so much. :)


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